Theodore Roosevelt National Park is comprised of three separate units: the South Unit, the North Unit, and the Elkhorn Ranch Unit. Staying in charming Medora, we spent most of our time in the nearby South Unit. The North Unit was a long drive away, so we quickly decided it wasn't going to happen on this trip - maybe another time. But we did want to check out another part of the park, so on our second full day in North Dakota, we piled in our rental car and drive two hours to this small park unit.
Side note: the front grill and hood of our rental car became a grasshopper graveyard. Peanut was horrified and disgusted. Nugget was fascinated.
Elkhorn Ranch is famous as the Dakota badlands home of Theodore Roosevelt. While TR had a few different homesteads in the area - including the Maltese Cross Cabin (to be featured in a future post - keep reading!) - Elkhorn Ranch was his primary, and most-loved, home in North Dakota.
For no good reason that I can think of, I was under the impression that this hike led to an actual preserved ranch homestead that we could check out - like the Maltese Cross Cabin - or at least some interesting Old West ruins. But the ranch buildings are no longer standing, and the most a visitor can see is the suggestion of a floorplan. Not sure if it's not really publicized that the ranch is no longer there, or my poor reading comprehension - the latter, probably. But note to would-be visitors: this is a lovely hike and the views at the end are rewarding, but there's no ranch house anymore.
About those views...
The hike culminates in a beautiful meadow surrounded by quintessential North Dakota badlands buttes. Just stunning - and the aroma, I can't even tell you. Let's just say if you ever get the chance to stand in a meadow surrounded by sage and breathe in, do it.
Worth every minute of that long drive.
Next week: we channel Laura Ingalls, hike the North Dakota prairie, and find some really cool petrified wood.
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