Theodore Roosevelt National Park is a U.S. national park located in the badlands of western North Dakota. It includes three separate areas. The park honors the time Theodore Roosevelt spent in the region and in the Dakota Territories before they became states. Roosevelt lived in the area after his mother and wife died within hours of each other on February 14, 1884. Theodore Roosevelt National Park is the only American national park named after one person.
The park covers 70,446 acres (about 110 square miles or 285 square kilometers) in three sections: the North Unit, the South Unit, and the Elkhorn Ranch Unit. The Little Missouri River flows through all three areas of the park. The Maah Daah Hey Trail connects the three units. The larger South Unit is near Medora, North Dakota, along Interstate 94. The smaller North Unit is about 80 miles (130 kilometers) north of the South Unit, and Roosevelt’s Elkhorn Ranch is located between the North and South units.
Both main units of the park have scenic drives, about 100 miles of foot and horse trails, opportunities to see wildlife, and hiking and camping in the backcountry. The park had 850,000 recreational visitors in 2021.
History
In September 1883, Roosevelt visited the North Dakota badlands to hunt bison. During this trip, he successfully hunted bison and became fond of the challenging lifestyle and the "perfect freedom" of the West. He spent $14,000 to invest in the Maltese Cross Ranch, which was already managed by Sylvane Ferris and Bill Merrifield, seven miles south of Medora. That winter, Ferris and Merrifield built the Maltese Cross Cabin. After the deaths of his wife and mother on February 14, 1884, Roosevelt returned to his North Dakota ranch to find peace and time to recover. That summer, he started his second ranch, the Elkhorn Ranch, 35 miles north of Medora, and hired two Maine woodsmen, Bill Sewall and Wilmot Dow, to manage it. Roosevelt was deeply interested in his ranches and hunting in the West, sharing his experiences in articles published in eastern newspapers and magazines. He wrote three major books about his life in the West: Ranch Life and the Hunting Trail, Hunting Trips of a Ranchman, and The Wilderness Hunter. His outdoor adventures and the loss of his cattle during a harsh winter in 1886–1887 influenced his later work in conservation policies as President of the United States (1901–1909).
After Roosevelt’s death in 1919, the Little Missouri Badlands were studied to find possible park locations. Camps from the Civilian Conservation Corps were set up in both future park areas between 1934 and 1941, and they built roads and structures still used today. The area was named 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. After a five-year effort by North Dakota representative William Lemke, President Truman established the South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park on April 25, 1947, the only National Memorial Park ever created. The North Unit was added by Congress in June 1948. In 1978, the park’s name was changed to Theodore Roosevelt National Park, with boundary changes and the creation of 29,920 acres (121.1 square kilometers) of the Theodore Roosevelt Wilderness.
Geography
The North Unit, the South Unit, and the Elkhorn Ranch Unit together cover a total area of 70,446 acres (110.072 square miles; 28,508 hectares; 285.08 km). The larger South Unit is next to Interstate 94 near Medora, North Dakota. The smaller North Unit is located about 80 miles (130 kilometers) north of the South Unit, along U.S. Route 85, just south of Watford City, North Dakota. Roosevelt's Elkhorn Ranch is between the North and South units, approximately 20 miles (32 kilometers) west of U.S. Route 85 and Fairfield, North Dakota.
According to the Köppen climate classification system, Theodore Roosevelt National Park has a Cold semi-arid climate (BSk). The United States Department of Agriculture reports that the Plant Hardiness zone at the North Unit Visitor Center (2,008 feet / 612 meters) is 3b, with an average annual extreme minimum temperature of -30.6 °F (-34.8 °C), and 4a at the South Unit Visitor Center (2,261 feet / 689 meters), with an average annual extreme minimum temperature of -29.3 °F (-34.1 °C).
Ecology
Theodore Roosevelt National Park is classified into two vegetation types according to the A. W. Kuchler U.S. Potential Natural Vegetation Types. The first classification is Wheatgrass / Needlegrass (66) vegetation type with a North Mixed Grass Prairie (18) vegetation form. The second classification is Northern Floodplain (98) vegetation type with a Floodplain Forests (24) vegetation form.
The park is home to many animals found on the Great Plains. These include bison, coyotes, cougars, mustang horses, badgers, elk, bighorn sheep, white-tailed deer, mule deer, pronghorn, prairie dogs, and at least 186 species of birds such as golden eagles, sharp-tailed grouse, and wild turkeys. Nine longhorn cattle live in the North Unit of the park.
Bison, elk, and bighorn sheep were brought back to the park. Park officials manage the populations of bison, horses, and elk to keep the ecosystem balanced. A 7-foot tall (2.1 m) woven wire fence surrounds the entire park. This fence keeps horses and bison inside the park and prevents commercial livestock from entering. Other animals can pass through the fence at specific locations. Elk use the park as a safe place to avoid hunting outside the park. Elk are removed from the park to prevent overpopulation and reduce damage to natural resources. Prairie dogs are native animals that are important to the ecosystem because their digging and feeding habits mix soil and help native plants grow. They also provide food for other animals.
After the park was fenced, a horse round-up in 1954 removed 200 branded horses. Some horses escaped capture and remained in the park. For many years, the National Park Service tried to remove all horses from the park. In 1970, the park changed its policy to recognize horses as part of the area’s history. In the past, horses were rounded up every three to four years using helicopters and then sold at public auctions. New methods for managing the horse population have been tested, including using contraceptives, low-stress capture techniques, genetics research, and working with nonprofit horse advocacy groups. A 1978 Environmental Assessment set a goal of keeping the horse population between 35 and 60 animals. Current research is being used to reevaluate population goals and herd management as part of a new plan. Removing livestock would allow natural grazing patterns to return, which helps native plants and ecosystems.
In 1956, 29 bison were brought to the South Unit of the park. In 1962, 20 of these bison were moved to the North Unit. The bison herds are regularly reduced to about 350 animals in the South Unit and 20 animals in the North Unit each year. The reduction of the herd alternates between the two units yearly. Bison are shared with Native American tribes to help grow existing tribal herds and add genetic diversity. Protecting bison is an ongoing effort to help their populations recover from near extinction. The 2020 Bison Conservation Initiative by the Department of the Interior has five goals: healthy wild bison herds, genetic conservation, shared stewardship, ecological restoration, and cultural restoration. In 2020, six young female bison were moved from Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge to the park. Scientists will study how well these bison adapt and integrate into the existing herds.
Wilderness
The wilderness area was created by Congress in 1978 and covers 29,920 acres (121 km²), which makes up more than one-third of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. The area is divided into two separate sections, one in each of the park’s two main units. The northern section covers most of the North Unit in McKenzie County, while the smaller southern section covers only the western part of the larger South Unit in Billings County. The southern section is located at 46°59′N 103°33′W / 46.983°N 103.550°W / 46.983; -103.550.
The wilderness area helps protect the most wild parts of the National Park, which are described as badlands shaped by forces that wear away the land, creating steep cliffs from flat prairie. Animals such as bison, pronghorn, elk, mule deer, and coyote live here, along with hundreds of bird species, including bald eagles, falcons, and hawks. The wilderness is split into two sections, the north and south units, which are about 70 miles (110 km) apart. The Little Missouri River runs along the south side of both units and is considered the main source of erosion that formed the badlands landscape.
There are 85 miles (137 km) of trails that lead to the most remote parts of the wilderness. Camping is allowed with a permit, but collecting wood for fires is not permitted. Visitors are encouraged to bring a portable stove for cooking.
U.S. Wilderness Areas do not allow motorized or mechanical vehicles, including bicycles. Camping and fishing are usually allowed with a permit, but no roads, buildings, logging, or mining are permitted, following the rules of the 1964 Wilderness Act. Wilderness areas in National Forests and Bureau of Land Management lands also allow hunting during specific seasons.
Attractions
Both main areas of the park offer scenic driving routes, about 100 miles (160 km) of trails for walking and horseback riding, chances to see wildlife, and options for hiking and camping in remote areas. There are three campgrounds: Juniper Campground in the North Unit, Cottonwood Campground in the South Unit, and the Roundup Group Horse Campground in the South Unit. Watching wildlife is a popular activity.
The grass in the park is brown from late summer through winter but turns green in early summer, along with many types of flowering plants. In winter, snow covers the rocky badlands, making the park feel very harsh, as described by Theodore Roosevelt as "an abode of iron desolation."
A museum at the South Unit Visitor Center explains Roosevelt’s life and his time as a rancher. Roosevelt’s Maltese Cross Cabin is also located at the South Unit Visitor Center.
Roosevelt’s Elkhorn Ranch is a separate, remote part of the park, 35 miles (56 km) north of Medora. It can be reached by gravel roads. The foundation of the ranch house and other buildings remain, but other parts of the cabin were moved after Roosevelt left. Threats to the Elkhorn Ranch include oil development nearby, such as visual distractions and noise from oil equipment and traffic.
Most of the park is surrounded by grasslands. The area has very dark night skies, making it great for stargazing and sometimes seeing the northern lights.
The town of Medora, near the entrance to the South Unit, offers a western-style experience with wooden sidewalks, old-fashioned ice cream shops, and horse-drawn carriage rides. There are several museums and the Burning Hills Amphitheater, where the Medora Musical is performed nightly from early June to early September.