Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Encyclopedia
Theodore Roosevelt National Park is a United States
National Park
comprising three geographically separated areas of badlands
in western North Dakota
. The park was named for U.S. President
Theodore Roosevelt
, in honor of his achievements in conservation as president and for the landscape's influence on his life. The park covers 110 square miles (285 km2) of land in three sections: the North Unit, the South Unit, and the Elkhorn Ranch Unit.
The park's larger South Unit lies alongside Interstate 94
near Medora, North Dakota
. The smaller North Unit is situated about 80 mi (130 km) north of the South Unit, on U.S. Highway 85, just south of Watford City, North Dakota
. Roosevelt's Elkhorn Ranch is located between the North and South units, approximately 20 mi (32 km) west of US 85 and Fairfield, North Dakota
. The Little Missouri River
flows through all three units of the park. The Maah Daah Hey Trail connects all three units.
camps were set up in both of the future park units from 1934 to 1941, and they developed roads and other structures still in use today. The area was designated the Roosevelt Recreation Demonstration Area in 1935. In 1946 it was transferred to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service
as the Theodore Roosevelt National Wildlife Refuge. President Truman established the Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park on April 25, 1947, the first and only National Memorial Park ever established. In 1978, in addition to boundary adjustments and the establishment of 29,920 acres (121.1 km2) of the Theodore Roosevelt Wilderness
, the park's designation was changed to Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
One of the most popular attractions is wildlife viewing. The park is home to a wide variety of Great Plains wildlife including bison
, feral horses, elk
, bighorn sheep
, white-tailed deer
and mule deer
, prairie dogs, and at least 186 species of birds including golden eagles, sharp-tailed grouse
, and wild turkeys. Bison may be dangerous and visitors are advised to view them from a distance. Bison, elk, and bighorn sheep have been successfully reintroduced to the park.
The scenery changes constantly in relationship with the seasons. The brown, dormant grass dominates from late summer through the winter, but explodes into green color in the early summer along with hundreds of species of flowering plants. Winter can be a beautiful scene as snow covers the sharp terrain of the badlands and locks the park into what Theodore Roosevelt called "an abode of iron desolation."
The badlands are very important in Theodore Roosevelt's life, and the park memorializes his contributions to the conservation of America's natural resources. A museum at the South Unit Visitor Center provides background on Theodore Roosevelt and his ranching days. Roosevelt's Maltese Cross Cabin is open for public viewing year-round at the South Unit Visitor Center.
Roosevelt's Elkhorn Ranch is a remote area of the park, 35 miles north of Medora, accessible by gravel roads. Check with park rangers for road conditions and routes to travel to the site. The foundation of the ranch house and other shops buildings have been preserved, though the other portions of the cabin were removed and repurposed after Roosevelt vacated the ranch. Threats to the Elkhorn Ranch site include oil development on adjacent lands, particularly visual intrusions and noise pollution from oil facilities and traffic.
The park is popular for backcountry hiking and horseback riding. Permits for backcountry camping may be obtained at the South Unit or North Unit Visitor Centers. Over 100 miles of trail make it a fine hiking park, though water and shade are limited along trails. The park units are mostly surrounded by Forest Service
grasslands. The area has very dark night skies with excellent star gazing and occasional northern lights displays.
The entire park has been surrounded with a 7 feet (2.1 m) tall woven wire fence to keep bison and feral horses inside the park and commercial livestock out. Other animals are able to pass over, under, or through the fence in specific locations provided for that purpose.
The town of Medora, at the entrance to the south unit, provides a real west atmosphere, with wooden planked sidewalks, old fashion ice cream parlors, and buggy rides. There are several museums and the Burning Hills Amphitheather (with nightly productions of the "Medora Musical).
Park officials manage populations of bison, horses, and elk to maintain a balanced ecosystem. Biologists also monitor prairie dog towns, though the park only controls their population in instances where they pose a threat to buildings or human health.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
National Park
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
comprising three geographically separated areas of badlands
Badlands
A badlands is a type of dry terrain where softer sedimentary rocks and clay-rich soils have been extensively eroded by wind and water. It can resemble malpaís, a terrain of volcanic rock. Canyons, ravines, gullies, hoodoos and other such geological forms are common in badlands. They are often...
in western North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
. The park was named for U.S. President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
, in honor of his achievements in conservation as president and for the landscape's influence on his life. The park covers 110 square miles (285 km2) of land in three sections: the North Unit, the South Unit, and the Elkhorn Ranch Unit.
The park's larger South Unit lies alongside Interstate 94
Interstate 94
Interstate 94 is the northernmost east–west Interstate Highway, connecting the Great Lakes and Intermountain regions of the United States. I-94's western terminus is in Billings, Montana at a junction with Interstate 90; its eastern terminus is the U.S...
near Medora, North Dakota
Medora, North Dakota
In the city the population was spread out with 26.0% under the age of 18, 4.0% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 26.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 96.1 males...
. The smaller North Unit is situated about 80 mi (130 km) north of the South Unit, on U.S. Highway 85, just south of Watford City, North Dakota
Watford City, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,435 people, 619 households, and 378 families residing in the city. The population density was 964.8 people per square mile . There were 790 housing units at an average density of 531.2 per square mile...
. Roosevelt's Elkhorn Ranch is located between the North and South units, approximately 20 mi (32 km) west of US 85 and Fairfield, North Dakota
Fairfield, North Dakota
Fairfield is an unincorporated community in northeastern Billings County, North Dakota, United States. It lies along U.S. Route 85 northwest of the city of Medora, the county seat of Billings County. Its elevation is 2,756 feet...
. The Little Missouri River
Little Missouri River (North Dakota)
The Little Missouri River is a tributary of the Missouri River, 560 mi long, in the northern Great Plains of the United States. Rising in northeastern Wyoming, in western Crook County about west of Devil's Tower, it flows northeastward, across a corner of southeastern Montana, and into South Dakota...
flows through all three units of the park. The Maah Daah Hey Trail connects all three units.
Roosevelt connection
Roosevelt first came to the North Dakota badlands to hunt bison in September 1883. In that first short trip he got his bison and fell in love with the rugged lifestyle and the "perfect freedom" of the West. He invested $14,000 in the Maltese Cross Ranch, which was already being managed by Sylvane Ferris and Bill Merrifield seven miles south of Medora. That winter, Ferris and Merrifield built the Maltese Cross Cabin. After the death of both his wife and mother on February 14, 1884, Roosevelt returned to his North Dakota ranch seeking solitude and time to heal. That summer, he started his second ranch, the Elkhorn Ranch, 35 miles north of Medora, which he hired two Maine woodsmen, Bill Sewall and Wilmot Dow, to operate. Roosevelt took great interest in his ranches and in hunting in the West, detailing his experiences in pieces published in eastern newspapers and magazines. He wrote three major works on his life in the West: "Ranch Life and the Hunting Trail," "Hunting Trips of a Ranchman," and "The Wilderness Hunter." His adventures in "the strenuous life" outdoors and the loss of his cattle in the starvation winter in 1886-1887 were influential in Theodore Roosevelt's pursuit of conservation policies as President of the United States (1901–1909).Park development
Following Theodore Roosevelt's death in 1919, the Little Missouri Badlands were explored to determine possible park sites. Civilian Conservation CorpsCivilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps was a public work relief program that operated from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men from relief families, ages 18–25. A part of the New Deal of President Franklin D...
camps were set up in both of the future park units from 1934 to 1941, and they developed roads and other structures still in use today. The area was designated the Roosevelt Recreation Demonstration Area in 1935. In 1946 it was transferred to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service
United States Fish and Wildlife Service
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is a federal government agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats...
as the Theodore Roosevelt National Wildlife Refuge. President Truman established the Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park on April 25, 1947, the first and only National Memorial Park ever established. In 1978, in addition to boundary adjustments and the establishment of 29,920 acres (121.1 km2) of the Theodore Roosevelt Wilderness
Theodore Roosevelt Wilderness
Theodore Roosevelt Wilderness is located in the U.S. state of North Dakota. Created by an act of Congress in 1978, the wilderness covers an area of 29,920 acres and comprises over a third of the entire area of Theodore Roosevelt National Park both of which are managed by the National Park Service...
, the park's designation was changed to Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
Attractions
Both main units of the park have scenic drives, approximately 100 miles of foot and horse trails, wildlife viewing, and opportunities for backcountry hiking and camping. There are three developed campgrounds: Juniper Campground in the North Unit, Cottonwood Campground in the South Unit, and the Roundup Group Horse Campground in the South Unit.One of the most popular attractions is wildlife viewing. The park is home to a wide variety of Great Plains wildlife including bison
Bison
Members of the genus Bison are large, even-toed ungulates within the subfamily Bovinae. Two extant and four extinct species are recognized...
, feral horses, elk
Elk
The Elk is the large deer, also called Cervus canadensis or wapiti, of North America and eastern Asia.Elk may also refer to:Other antlered mammals:...
, bighorn sheep
Bighorn Sheep
The bighorn sheep is a species of sheep in North America named for its large horns. These horns can weigh up to , while the sheep themselves weigh up to . Recent genetic testing indicates that there are three distinct subspecies of Ovis canadensis, one of which is endangered: Ovis canadensis sierrae...
, white-tailed deer
White-tailed Deer
The white-tailed deer , also known as the Virginia deer or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized deer native to the United States , Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru...
and mule deer
Mule Deer
The mule deer is a deer indigenous to western North America. The Mule Deer gets its name from its large mule-like ears. There are believed to be several subspecies, including the black-tailed deer...
, prairie dogs, and at least 186 species of birds including golden eagles, sharp-tailed grouse
Sharp-tailed Grouse
The Sharp-tailed Grouse, Tympanuchus phasianellus , is a medium-sized prairie grouse. It is also known as the sharptail, and is known as "fire grouse" or "fire bird" by Native American Indians due to their reliance on brush fires to keep their habitat open.-Taxonomy:The Greater Prairie-chicken,...
, and wild turkeys. Bison may be dangerous and visitors are advised to view them from a distance. Bison, elk, and bighorn sheep have been successfully reintroduced to the park.
The scenery changes constantly in relationship with the seasons. The brown, dormant grass dominates from late summer through the winter, but explodes into green color in the early summer along with hundreds of species of flowering plants. Winter can be a beautiful scene as snow covers the sharp terrain of the badlands and locks the park into what Theodore Roosevelt called "an abode of iron desolation."
The badlands are very important in Theodore Roosevelt's life, and the park memorializes his contributions to the conservation of America's natural resources. A museum at the South Unit Visitor Center provides background on Theodore Roosevelt and his ranching days. Roosevelt's Maltese Cross Cabin is open for public viewing year-round at the South Unit Visitor Center.
Roosevelt's Elkhorn Ranch is a remote area of the park, 35 miles north of Medora, accessible by gravel roads. Check with park rangers for road conditions and routes to travel to the site. The foundation of the ranch house and other shops buildings have been preserved, though the other portions of the cabin were removed and repurposed after Roosevelt vacated the ranch. Threats to the Elkhorn Ranch site include oil development on adjacent lands, particularly visual intrusions and noise pollution from oil facilities and traffic.
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
grasslands. The area has very dark night skies with excellent star gazing and occasional northern lights displays.
The entire park has been surrounded with a 7 feet (2.1 m) tall woven wire fence to keep bison and feral horses inside the park and commercial livestock out. Other animals are able to pass over, under, or through the fence in specific locations provided for that purpose.
The town of Medora, at the entrance to the south unit, provides a real west atmosphere, with wooden planked sidewalks, old fashion ice cream parlors, and buggy rides. There are several museums and the Burning Hills Amphitheather (with nightly productions of the "Medora Musical).
Park officials manage populations of bison, horses, and elk to maintain a balanced ecosystem. Biologists also monitor prairie dog towns, though the park only controls their population in instances where they pose a threat to buildings or human health.
External links
- Official site: Theodore Roosevelt National Park