SnapshotPlanning Your Trip![]() This park surprised us! I clearly did not do enough research before we came here. I was more focused on previous stops in our road trip, and this park was more of an afterthought. However, I am so glad that we made the drive and stop for this wild, unique, and beautiful park. I can just imagine Theodore Roosevelt exploring one thing after another here and dreaming of returning during his political career. My husband and I never seem to have the words to describe why we fell in love with this park, but maybe it was because we didn't know what to expect and it turned out to be one of those magically perfect days for our family. I hope you can find something to love here too! When we visited the park We visited Theodore National Park the last week of October. This is considered off-season, and there are some closings in and around the park. There are less lodging options, the campground is closed for the year, and the park had sections closed for road work. The weather was mild for us, in the low 30s in the morning and 50s by afternoon. With the sun shining, it was ideal for hiking with kids. There was almost no one around either, so we had plenty of time and space to see what we wanted without having to wait in any lines. Things to Consider 1. The first thing to know is, how spread out this park is. As I was planning on showing up and just asking the rangers what we had to see in a short amount of time, we only scratched the surface of this park. In a future trip, I want to see the Northern Unit and Elkhorn Ranch. 2. Check the weather for this park. We were told that by the end of October there is usually snow on the ground. The park would not have been as spectacular covered in snow. So if you are going in an off-season, keep up-to-date on current weather conditions. 3. Parts of the park are also closed in off-season times. Go to the National Parks App or Website for the most current conditions or closings. 4. Medora, ND is the closest town to the park, however there are not a lot of lodging options. Make sure you have reservations early, especially in off-season times. 5. This can be a hiker's paradise. Make sure to bring a lot of water if you are going out for a decent hike. How to get there The park's North and South Units are easily accessed via State Highway 85 and Interstate 94. Driving to the Elkhorn Ranch Unit requires travel on gravel roads. Where to Stay Inside the Park There is no lodging within the park. If you want to stay inside the park, you need to camp. There are two campgrounds in the park. Check the NPS website for more details about what is available. There are limited sites that you can reserve ahead of time, with the remaining sites as "first-come" availability. Northern Unit - Juniper Campground Southern Unit - Cottonwood Campground Outside the Park Camping There are a lot of options for camping that are not in the park, but within driving distance. Check for available reservations, or which sites allow first-come, first-serve options. If we had gone in the summer, I would have tried to book a "wagon" or "cabin" at Medora Campground. My kids would have loved that experience! Medora Campground Elkhorn Campground Lodging We stayed at a chain hotel, but there are some unique options to stay during peak season. We stayed at the AmericInn, and it was suitable to our one night in Medora. AmericInn - Medora, ND Maltese Ranch Cabin - Medora, ND Wannagan Creek Cabins - Medora, ND ![]() What we did We spent one day at Theodore Roosevelt National Park. And we were pleasantly surprised by what we saw. We had to head home the next day, but were left wishing we had more time to explore this amazing place! We only allowed time for the southern unit, as I didn't realize how much distance was between the units. If we would head back, I would make sure to allow for driving time between the different areas, and look at a map sooner for planning purposes! The first thing we did was stop at the Southern Unit Visitor Center. This is a great facility, and the staff were extremely helpful answering all of our questions. The rangers interacted with our kids and got them excited about what they might see while exploring the park. We also took the opportunity to ask about the best place to see some of the wildlife in the park. Again, cannot say enough about how helpful the rangers were here. After we left the visitor center, with our junior ranger books in hand, we started on the scenic drive. We were quickly met by some wild ponies in the prairies that line the entrance from Medora. We were captivated by the unique land formations along the scenic drive. We felt like if there were a classic location for a western movie, this would be the backdrop. We could just imagine people on horseback watching us from above on one of the beautiful vistas. We stopped at three places along the scenic drive. The first one was a hike at Wind Canyon Trail. There are breathtaking views along this short 1-mile hike, that we would describe as eay for most people. There is an initial incline, but levels out after that, and you can see forever from this trail. It is also a great spot to see birds flying over the Little Missouri River and through Peaceful Valley. It can be windy along here, so be prepared. ![]() Our next stop along the scenic drive was at Boicourt Overlook and Trail. This was recommended by one of the locals the night before. I added it to our list, and it become one of my all time favorite hikes. There is a paved trail to the overlook for anyone to use, however, if you keep walking past the overlook, there is a dirt trail to follow out to the point (cover picture). If you can, take the trail! The views will be ingrained in my mind forever. The short hike is worth your time and effort! We even got to see some prong horn sheep across the valley during this hike. The last stop was to Buck Hill, which receives a lot of attention. After hiking Boicourt, we were a little disappointed with this overlook. It is often crowded, but a shorter hike. If you don't have time for everything, this was something we could have skipped. The drive up the hill is pretty though, so if it isn't too crowded, it is a short stop. After all of this, we headed back towards the visitor center to trade in the junior rangers books and get the kids their badges. This is right by the entrance, and the last stop on the scenic driving loop. A great way to get the kids involved and thinking about what they all saw. They love completing the junior ranger program and getting their badge. We also offer them a souvenir from the store if they complete their challenges. This how we handle buying memorabilia, and it makes them feel like they are working for a souvenir instead of just expecting it. Where this fit in our road trip This was the last day of our 5-Day road trip to the Dakotas. We fit a lot in (as usual) on this trip. We started driving back to Wisconsin after we spent the day here. It was about 12 hours to get home, so we left mid-afternoon and got as much driving done as we could that day. Click on the link below if you want to see the itinerary of the whole roadtrip. NPS App and All Trails Maps I highly recommend using the National Park Service (NPS) App, as well as the All Trails App for hiking. There is limited service in the park, so planning ahead is helpful. These two apps allow you to download sights, maps, and trails so that you can access information anywhere. The NPS app also links to the full National Parks Website, with a plethora of information. Don't forget to follow along on Instagram @wanderlust_with_three
0 Comments
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
Proudly powered by Weebly