8\/13\/2020<\/p>\n
Teddy Rosevelt had a ranch along the little Missouri River so after we ate our lunch we decided to attempt and I do mean attempt to find the house foundations, nothing is left except a few foundation stones………….. it\u2019s not the destination it’s the journey.<\/p>\n
The write up says that sometimes 4×4 or high clearance vehicles are necessary, we had the Jeep so I wasn\u2019t worried. Rough roads were not case today as all the roads, while gravel were in excellent shape.<\/p>\n
Now to get there, we found no signs pointing the way, only a few general milages and road names to turn on.<\/p>\n
When we left the northern part of the park we continued north 14 miles then west around 32 miles before turning back south for 31 miles. Then we turned east and we left the pavement and civilization behind. \u00a0While its all public roads the land private and posted, while driving, it was fabulous, it was like you had the entire National Park to yourself. We drove probably 30-40 miles of badlands looking terrain and only met 2 vehicles, both looked like work trucks for one of the many oil wells in the region. Didn\u2019t see any houses, but looking at the 10 or so mailboxes when we left the pavement I think there were a few set back out of sight of the road.<\/p>\n
Up and down, around corners the views were spectacular. We stopped several places to take pictures. I\u2019m so glad we took the drive, I just wish we had more time.<\/p>\n
The distances are great and time consuming. It took us 2-3 hours to drive from the North Entrance around to and to find the old homestead. We may have made a few wrong turns once we got on the gravel. By the time we found the parking area it was pushing 4:00 or later and the GPS said we had 107 miles back home. It was just a good thing there was nothing much left of the old homestead. Once we found it and parked it was still a 3\/4 mile walk back there.<\/p>\n
Leaving and heading south. The easiest route, it was not nearly as interesting drive. If you go, make sure you come in from the North, unless you get toooo lost you wont regret it.<\/p>\n
They call the general area of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park the badlands of North Dakota, feature wise they look similar to the Badlands of SD with steep canyon walls but to me had much more vegetation than the more famous Badlands of SD.<\/p>\n
By all means I highly recommend a visit to the park(s), While I wouldn\u2019t call it a destination park it is well worth a stop over of a few days to explore the park. However I wouldn\u2019t really recommend an August visit like we did, unless you like to bake in the sun under clear mostly cloudless sky.<\/p>\n\n\t\t