- National Monument Slam — Idaho and Utah
- Wandering around in Wyoming
- South Dakota Slam!
- Crazy Horse Redux and Jewel Cave National Monument, South Dakota
- Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota
- Glacier National Park, Montana
- Bringing it home!
After caving in Custer, South Dakota, we headed north into North Dakota to visit Theodore Roosevelt National Park. I wasn’t aware of the impact this area had on Roosevelt. On Valentine’s Day of 1884, he lost both his wife and mother. He was only 25. In his grief, he headed west and lived in the area, first in a cabin and later on a ranch. Not only did the wilderness replenish his soul, it changed him in dramatic ways – especially in the conservation of our lands and resources. This would play a big role in his presidency, with the passage of the Antiquities Act, which he used liberally to protect the real crown jewels of our country. After a very foggy and cold start to the day, we arrived at the park in beautiful sunshine. While these are considered “Badlands,” Deb and I found these more attractive than the ones in South Dakota. Here the starkness of the landscape is smoothed by the beautiful grasslands and trees. As you see in the pictures, we had some “close encounters” (yeah, I know, that’s Devil’s Tower) with the wandering herds of bison. They have no fear of cars or humans. On to Montana!
This entry was posted in National Park/Monument, North Dakota, Travel, United States