Monday, July 18, 2011

Theodore Roosevelt National Park





We were pleasantly surprised by the rugged beauty of the badlands and grasslands of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. This is a large but little-know national park in the western edge of North Dakota. It is so close to Interstate 94, I wonder how many people pass right by and never stop to appreciate this amazing park.

After picking up our junior ranger programs and getting our passport stamped, we headed on a drive through a loop that covers much of the south end of the park. First thing we spotted was a huge prairie dog town. There are several of these prairie dog towns through the park each with hundreds of critters scurrying about, foraging for food, and barking out warnings and friendly hellos to each other and passerbys.


We took a nice hike, getting plenty of mud all over our shoes from the rain the night before. After some lunch we returned to the park and completed the loop. On this drive we were not only treated to some amazing views, but also some close-up shots of a family of wild horses. We have seen groups of wild horses before, but not this close-up. Patsy is a consummate horse lover, so she was super excited to see the four adults and one foal and kept snapping shots.




Theodore Roosevelt National Park is a true national treasure. Be sure to stop in and see the amazing vistas if you find yourself in North Dakota.


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