Theodore Roosevelt NP - More From Day Two

As promised, here's the part two recap of my second day at North Dakota's Theodore Roosevelt National Park.  If you missed my previous post about this park's wild horse herd, you can find it here.

C'mon in!

My day began before dawn, as I planned to capture sunrise over the lovely formations at the Painted Canyon Overlook.  Luckily it was a quick jaunt down I-94 to the rest stop to reach my desired vantage point.

Pre-sunrise sky at Painted Canyon Overlook

I was surprised by how many people were hanging out in a rest area this early.  There was a large group at the official overlook, so I chose an out-of-the way, but still dramatic, alternative.  After scoping out and settling in to my spot, I was still visited by a handful of bystanders, all here to watch dawn break.  

A good start to the morning

The sunrise was a good one.  First, streaky clouds lit up in lovely pink shades.  Then the sun made it's dramatic appearance in a blaze of orange and yellow.  Unfortunately, right before the sun crested over the horizon, some guy walked across the blufftop, right into my frame.  Ugh!  Good thing I have photoshop, I guess (also cropped out was a prominently placed "danger" sign near the cliff edge.)

Little Missouri River from Wind Canyon Overlook

After enjoying lovely morning light on the striped hills of the Painted Canyon, I headed back towards Medora and the main park entrance.  I've already covered the wild horse photo session in a previous post, so after spending half of the morning there I continued driving the park road, stopping occasionally when something caught my eye.

Mega-erosion

Making a daylight visit to last night's sunset spot, I found the Wind Canyon Overlook just as stunning in morning light.

I found this sign amusing

Coal deposits are found in the subsurface around TRNP.  When exposed to oxygen, coal veins can spontaneously combust.  Passing by the Boicourt Overlook, I noticed this unusual sign.  Apparently burning subsurface coal is a problem here, as well as the numerous well-intentioned people who report the fires.

Trail to Boicourt Overlook

Stopping at the Boicourt Trail, I took the short path here to an impressive overlook showcasing eroded hills and canyons spread out for miles.

Magnificent scenery at Badlands Overlook

But the best scenery of all was at the Badlands Overlook.  Normally the road through this South Unit of TRNP is a loop, but at the time of my visit the last few miles were closed due to a landslide.  The road now dead-ended at this overlook.  After spending a half hour soaking up the splendid landscapes and munching a granola bar, I turned around and retraced my steps (or tire tracks) back along the same road.

Nice blue skies too!

Another view from the Badlands Overlook......

Interesting rock formations

I saw these interesting formations - rocks balanced on top of narrow columns of eroded soil.  There was no place to pull over, so I stopped my car in the road and rolled down my window to snap a few pics.  (There wasn't much traffic)

A lone peak in the prairie

I noticed a "Peaceful Valley Ranch" on my park map, so decided to stop in and see what was there.  I found several ranch buildings, corrals, and some lovely cottonwood trees displaying their finest colors.

Lovely fall colors at the Peaceful Valley Ranch

According to park literature this place was a working ranch in the late 1800s, a dude ranch in the 1920s, headquarters for the CCC and WPA in the 1930s, and park headquarters in the 1950s and 60s.

Along the trail to the river

I noticed a short trail that took visitors to the banks of the Little Missouri River.  After spending most of the morning in my car, a hike sounded really good!  The trail was quite lovely, surrounded by golden cottonwood trees.

Scenery from the banks of the Little Missouri

Reaching the Little Missouri, I walked along it's shoreline for a half mile or so, enjoying the scenery and blue skies.  I met up with a friendly man and wife, who pointed out a solo wild horse standing on top of a nearby hill.

I spotted a herd of buffalo walking down to the river

I was just about to head back to the parking lot, when the people I'd been chatting with pointed upriver.  A huge buffalo herd had just crossed a nearby road and were sliding down the steep riverbank into the water.

Buffalo scattered about

This area looked pretty close to the park road, so I hustled back down the trail to my car and drove to the road crossing spot.  Luckily there was a really wide shoulder here so I was able to park.  Then I followed the trodden dirt through a prairie dog town to the river's edge.  Most of the buffalo herd were now on the opposite bank, so I felt safe despite the short distance.

Mother and calf

What a great vantage to photograph the shaggy beasts!  As I focused and clicked away, other visitors, seeing what I was up to, parked in the same wide spot and joined me on the bank.  I chatted with quite a few nice people from all over.

Evening light at Boicourt Overlook

By midafternoon I was tired and hungry so I took a break back in Medora, checking out one of the two local saloons that were still open (this was late September so the tourist season was winding down.) 

Sunset from Boicourt Overlook

Sunset was around 6:00 that evening, so about 5, I headed back to the park.  I was planning on going back to the Wind Canyon Overlook until the ranger at the entrance gate suggested trying the Boicourt Overlook.  He said there were far less people there, and thought it was the most beautiful place in the park to watch a sunset. 

Post-sunset sky

Okay, I was sold.  It was a little bit more driving but I had plenty of time.  From the parking area, it was about a mile walk to the overlook.  The weather wasn't as nice as the previous night - a strong wind whipped at my tripod and chilled me.  But when the sun finally went down, I realized the ranger was right.  The sunset was incredible, as was the scenery framing it.

The sky kept glowing as I walked back to the car

After sunset, knowing I had a mile walk back to the car, I hustled to pack up and get out of there before things turned totally dark.  But bright orange light lingered in the sky long after the sun had left, lighting my way and creating interesting patterns with the clouds.

I had a wonderful two days at this "new to me" National Park.  Theodore Roosevelt NP was full of surprises.  I didn't expect it to be so beautiful or have so much wildlife.  I definitely hit the peak of fall colors, and would recommend visiting in late September if you want to see this place in full autumn splendor.  Five stars, two thumbs up - definitely put this National Park on your bucket list!

The Wild Horses of Theodore Roosevelt NP

My second day visiting Theodore Roosevelt National Park, near Medora North Dakota, had me rising early to catch sunrise.  But I'll share photos of that and all the other beautiful scenery I captured in another post.  This one is solely dedicated to wild horses.

Mare and her colt

Most U.S. national parks feature the opportunity to view wildlife.  One of the unique things about this particular national park is the large herd of resident wild horses that roam the plains.  After not seeing a single horse the day I arrived, I was hoping day two would bring better luck.

"What's that lady doing?"

It didn't start out very promising.  Driving through the first few miles, all I spotted were prairie dogs - and plenty of them!  But after glimpsing a coyote run across the road ahead, I pulled over and grabbed my camera to try and get a photo of the critter.  A lady passing by saw me prowling around with my big lens, rolled down her window, and informed me she'd just seen a large herd of wild horses near the park entrance.  After thanking her profusely, I jumped back into my car, made a u-turn, and headed back in the opposite direction.

Prairie dog sounding the alarm

The horses were supposed to be on a ridge above the first prairie dog town.  Pulling into the parking area, at first I didn't see them.  But then I heard a whinny, and realized the herd was above the prairie dog mounds a short distance away.  Too far to capture, even with my 100-500 mm lens, I'd have to walk a little bit closer.

In search of good grass

Setting out across a meadow littered with prairie dog mounds, my presence quickly had all the little creatures squeaking in alarm.  At first I was afraid the prairie dog calls would scare the horses away.  But the herd didn't seem to care in the least.  Apparently they were used to the little rodents freaking out.

These two were definitely a couple

There was about a dozen horses scattered across the bluff.  Nearly all of them were busy grazing for their breakfast.  At first, they didn't seem to do much but eat.  But excited about finally seeing some wild horses, I fired off shots anyway, even if they were just boring images of the creatures with their heads down.

A moment of horsey drama

But after a short while, their bellies seemed to fill, and the horses started moving around.  Two white horses appeared to be a couple, as the male was giving the female a lot of attention.  (Some of the photos I took of that interaction are not appropriate for this family-friendly blog.)

This colt took a roll in the grass

There were a couple of colts in the herd.  One little guy decided to take a roll in the grass several times.  It made for some fun images.

"Much better now!"

After awhile the horses all gathered in a group and just stood around.

Just hangin' out

I thought about heading back to my car.  But in the area between the horses and the parking area was this big fella.

A lone bison nearby

I didn't think it was wise to walk too close to the large bison grazing between prairie dog mounds, so I hung out near the horses for a little bit longer.

I steered clear of this fella!

Finally the big guy moseyed away, and I picked my way back through the chirping prairie dogs once again (those little rodents get so worked up when you walk by their holes!)

Horsey line-up

I saw a couple more wild horses in the park later that day.  But this large herd was by far the most horses in one place.  An extremely lucky sighting, I had that lady to thank!

A tender moment between these two

I'll be back with one final post from my time at Theodore Roosevelt NP - an entire day spent driving around the park, taking in all the incredible scenery.  After seeing my photos, you'll want to plan a trip there too!

If you missed day one, you can find the post here.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Those who've read my blog for awhile know I'm a National Parks junkie.  Any opportunity to visit a "new-to-me" U.S. national park and I'm there!  So after all the trips I've made over the years back and forth between Oregon and South Dakota, you would think I'd have visited Theodore Roosevelt NP before now.  After all, it's in the neighboring state of North Dakota, a mere 4-hour drive north of where my parents live.

Welcome to North Dakota!  Buffalo herd in the rest area.

But noooo......I've never taken the detour to check out TRNP.  So this fall, after spending a week in South Dakota visiting family, I decided to remedy that.  Since I no longer have job commitments back home, it's freed me to add days to my trips - and see places that have before eluded me.

Painted Canyon overlook

One sunny Monday in late September had me driving north through South Dakota's sparsely populated Harding County, full of cattle ranches, antelope, and not much else.  (I once had a teacher describe Harding County as a place having "more cows than people."  I now believe it!) 

I was happy to see fall colors in full swing

A short drive through lots of nothing got me to Interstate 94.  TRNP wasn't far now.  Unfortunately nature was calling.  But - yay - there happened to be a rest area just ahead.  As I left the highway and traveled up the exit ramp, I was greeted by a large herd of buffalo - right in the parking lot!  They were also on the side of the road, prompting the car in front of me to make a dead stop.  Out came their camera.  Ugh!  Normally it wouldn't have been a big deal - I'd probably be taking pictures too.  But due to the urgency of my situation, I have to admit I was a bit irritated by the delay.  Luckily, the car's occupants didn't linger too long, allowing me to reach the restroom in time.

Interesting striped hills

Besides the resident buffalo herd, this rest area was unusual in another way.  A portion of Theodore Roosevelt National Park was located right here.  The restroom building had been sited at the top of a tall bluff overlooking an area of colorful striped hills.  Called the Painted Canyon Unit, a separate visitor center building was located to the left of the bathroom.

Painted Canyon scenery

Oh it was beautiful!  To make things even better, I noticed a large grove of deciduous trees in one area, well into their autumn color transition.  Time to dig out my camera and get to work!

They were even behind the restroom building!

A paved walkway hugged the top of the bluff.  I didn't realize until later a nature trail existed that took visitors to the very bottom of this colorful canyon.  But I was itching to see the main park nearby so I probably wouldn't haven hiked it anyway.  Instead I strolled around the blufftop, taking in the lovely sights.  Walking around the backside of the restroom, I noticed a couple buffalo grazing right next to the building.  If someone exited the bathroom from the wrong door, they'd be in for a surprise!  Giving these beasts a wide berth, I continued my explorations.

Stopping traffic

Most of the buffalo were still roaming the parking lot when I returned to my car.  I couldn't leave here without at least a few photos of the "fluffy cows" so I slapped zoom lens on camera for some close-ups.  (No, I'm not dumb enough to get remotely close to these big fellas!)  A couple buffalo positioned themselves right in the middle of the entrance road, blocking two cars and a semi truck for a short while.

Yes, I used my zoom lens for this capture!

This rest area was great, but Medora and Theodore Roosevelt NP South Unit beckoned.  A mere 10 minutes down the road had me exiting once again to the touristy, but cute, town of Medora, North Dakota.  Many of the storefronts were made up to look like a western frontier town.  Situated in a valley surrounded by scenic layered hills, the location was quite beautiful.  Too early to check into my motel, I found a "saloon" that served a terrific hamburger and tasty local brew.

Golden fall colors behind the visitor center

Then it was time to explore the South Unit of TRNP.  The visitor center was conveniently located on the west end of town.  Hoping to score some sunrise and sunset recommendations, I stopped in to chat with a ranger.  The ranger on duty was super helpful, even taking the time to mark his choices on a park map for me.

Teddy Roosevelt's Maltese Cross cabin

Theodore Roosevelt National Park is named after the 26th US president.  Theodore Roosevelt first came to North Dakota (then Dakota Territory) in 1883 to hunt buffalo.  A skinny, asthmatic, bespectacled young man from the east, the rugged landscape and strenuous exercise he received during his stay transformed him to a robust, healthy individual.  TR fell in love with this empty, but beautiful area.  His experiences in Dakota Territory sowed the seeds that later evolved into forward-thinking conservation policies, one of the things he is best known for implementing during his presidency.  These conservation policies helped establish the Forest Service and create many national parks and preserves.

Fantastic views along the park road

When Teddy Roosevelt first came to Dakota Territory, he invested in a local cattle company known as the "Maltese Cross."  The cabin TR lived in during this time, now known as the "Maltese Cross Cabin" has been moved to the rear of the visitor center, and is open for viewing.  After chatting with the helpful park ranger, I stepped outside to have a look.  The day was brilliantly sunny, and the huge cottonwoods nearby were at their peak yellow autumn hues.  A gorgeous setting for this historical building.

More autumn finery

Business taken care of at the visitor center, it was time for a drive.  A 48-mile loop wound around the South Unit.  However, at the time of my visit, the southwest corner of the road was closed for construction, forcing visitors to retrace their steps once reaching the closure.  No mind, it was a lovely early fall day, perfect to explore the park.  I was surprised by the amount of leaf color I found.  A good portion of the park's deciduous trees were already displaying their best autumn hues.

Cottonwood tree colors

This portion of North Dakota is often referred to as the "badlands."  (Not to be confused with Badlands National Park in South Dakota)  However, having been to both places, I found the North Dakota badlands to be less stark.  There were lots more trees and shrubs, and with most of them displaying fall finery, it was absolutely beautiful.  I felt lucky to have visited during the fall.  I really thought the park was at it's most scenic best in late September.

Buffalo and fall colors

During my trip around the park, I saw plenty of buffalo and prairie dogs.  Known for it's large wild horse herd, I'd hoped to see some of these, but no luck today.  

Beautiful striped rock strata

After reaching the road's temporary end, I turned around and headed back through the park.  I'd enjoyed my drive through such a surprisingly stunning place.  But now it was time to check into my motel and get ready for sunset.

Wind Canyon Overlook

The park ranger had recommended Wind Canyon overlook for a good spot to watch the sunset.  About halfway down the park road, I planned my entrance with enough time to get to my spot well before dusk.  A short climb up a bluff brought me to the edge of a steep cliff above the Little Missouri River.

 

Evening light along the Little Missouri River

What views!  The Little Missouri artfully curved through the bottomlands.  Scenic eroded rock layers rose from one side.  Golden cottonwood trees lined the riverbanks.  The vistas stretched for miles.  This was gonna be good.

A beautiful sunset

A place so scenic as this of course attracted people, and I wasn't alone when night began to fall.  But busy trying to capture the sun's last gasp, I didn't notice much.  Although the sky was void of clouds, it still turned a nice brilliant orange as the sun dramatically exited the landscape.

Post-sunset light

I stuck around until the light was totally gone.  Then packing up to head back to my car, I looked in the opposite direction and noticed some wispy pink clouds hovering right above the horizon.  So concentrated on the western skyline, I'd almost missed the sky show to the east.  Luckily, this lovely scene hadn't quite dissipated, and I was able to catch a couple of images before it did.

It always pays to look behind you!

Back to my motel for a much-needed night of sleep.  Another full day in the park planned for tomorrow, I was hoping for more great scenery, and hopefully a glimpse of those wild horses.  Check back for my next post recapping day two!