Where the buffalo roam

Buffalo

Theodore Roosevelt National Park is perhaps the most underrated park in the United States.

There, I've said it.

I get why this isn't a heavily trafficked park - it is in western North Dakota after all. But that shouldn't be cause for anyone to cross it off their list. It is worth the drive. Plus it makes a great road trip when coupled with Mount Rushmore in South Dakota or Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming or even Glacier National Park in Montana.

Hebron

My husband's father grew up on a farm in western North Dakota near Hebron. It's about as quintessential a farm town as you'll find out there (though they also make bricks). So when we recently made the seven-hour drive to the family farm, we couldn't resist going the extra hour to swing through Teddy Roosevelt.

I had been there with my sister and parents a decade before when it was the first stop on our roadtrip to Yellowstone. The memories of buffalo, prairie dogs and wild horses were still warm.

Teddy Roosevelt's main entrance is in Medora - a cute little western-themed town wedged in the Badlands of North Dakota. It had grown a bit since we had been there last - perhaps a happy byproduct of the oil boom (the park is in the heart of the Bakken formation.)

North Dakota Badlands

For a piddly $10 per vehicle you're in and 70,000 acres of gorgeous parkland await you. We spent the morning traversing the 36-mile scenic loop by car and it didn't take long before we were fully immersed in the wonders of the park.

The North Dakota Badlands are different from the ones in South Dakota. Where South Dakota's craggy formations make you feel like you were dropped on Mars, North  Dakota's hills are dotted with vegetation in a rainbow of colors.

Prairie dog

Just when you think that this would be enough to inspire awe, you come upon the first prairie dog town - a flat parcel of land speckled with hundreds of holes. Stop the car, get out and listen. The prairie dogs will disappear when you drive up initially, but after a moment they'll pop out of the holes and start running around. They make a squeaky, chirpy kind of noise and when hundreds of them are going at it at once, it can be almost deafening.

The prairie dogs are a good opening act, but the headliner of this park though is the buffalo. We must have encountered three separate herds that easily totaled more than 100. The first herd was close enough to reach out and touch (perhaps a wee bit too close for comfort). Still, it was all I could do to not jump out of the car. (Note: You should not get out of the vehicle in the presence of buffalo.)

Scratching post

Buffalo really are fascinating to watch. Hulking creatures, they lumber along like cows for the most part, but they can pick up speed quickly and are surprisingly agile considering some of them must weigh close to a ton. When they take off, you can easily understand how a dangerous situation can arise.

We were at the park in mid-July and the buffalo must have been transitioning between coats because many had random patches of fur on their otherwise smooth back ends. They rolled around taking dirt baths and several were employing wooden road markers as scratching posts.

You really can't be in a rush around the buffalo so take the time to sit back and soak up their idiosyncrasies. If they are near the road, chances are good several cars will be stopped. This may be just to take photos or, more likely, because the buffalo are blocking the way. Grab your camera and enjoy the up close and personal encounter.

Most of the buffalo we ran across were in the herds, but a few solitary guys were scattered around the park. I was convinced for a while that park staff must have airlifted them to particularly picturesque locales earlier that morning just so I could take advantage of my new camera.

I mean, seriously, look at this photo >>>
Is this a portrait of America or what?

And then there's the wild horses. The last time I visited the park, we saw a grand total of maybe three of the wild horses. I was thrilled with that back then, but this time, we saw at least two dozen.

Wild, wild horses

It's hard to fathom that wild horses even exist in this day and age, but Teddy Roosevelt has a herd of 70-110 of them. In this photo <<< they arranged themselves nicely on the hillside for me.

That's Teddy Roosevelt for you. Around every bend there is something photo-worthy. The vistas are beautiful and the wildlife viewing is really unparalleled.

If you're looking for a quiet park that packs a punch, gas up and set the GPS to Teddy Roosevelt. You won't be disappointed.

Don't miss: Painted Canyon Overlook. It's right off of Interstate 94, about seven miles east of Medora. You'll get a great view of the North Dakota Badlands without paying an entrance fee.

Road trip tips: There isn't a whole lot to entertain along Interstate 94 through North Dakota, but if you're into kitsch, make sure to stop in Jamestown to see the "World's Largest Buffalo" or New Salem to see Sue, the "World's Largest Holstein Cow.