Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Unit, North Dakota

I’ve checked off another National Park on my list, Theodore Roosevelt National Park.  It’s unique because the park is comprised of three separate areas of land. The North & South Units have scenic drives, wildlife, hiking & visitor centers.   The undeveloped Elkhorn Ranch Unit preserves the site of Roosevelt’s “home ranch” in a remote area along the Little Missouri River.

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If you plan on visiting any of the National Parks, I highly suggest purchasing one of the annual park passes. Most parks charge a $35 entrance fee. However, if you purchase an annual pass for $80, it covers unlimited visits to over 2,000 federal sites. And if you are a senior citizen, you can purchase an annual pass for $20 or a lifetime pass for only $80.

For more information on park passes, visit https://store.usgs.gov/recreational-passes.

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Slump Block

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What is a slump block?

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Cannonball Concretions

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What are cannonball concretions? Jutting out from the landscape, these large, round stones don’t appear to properly fit into the badlands.

When mineral rich water seeps down through the porous layers that make up the badlands, it can deposit those minerals in spaces or gaps in the sediments. The minerals act as a kind of glue, holding these sediments together, often forming around a core. As more and more layers are deposited, the concretion builds outward like a pearl, before being exposed by erosion.

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The Long X Trail

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River Bend Overlook

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Bentonitic Clay Lookout

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Oxbow Lookout

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The park has longhorn steer, white-tailed deer, mule deer, wild turkey, bighorn sheep, coyote, prairie dogs & prairie rattlesnakes. I spoke to the Park Rangers who said that rattlesnakes were common there. I stayed on the trails & watched every step I took. Thankfully, the only animals I saw were bison!