2025-08-13: Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota

Milestones

• 17th U.S. State Camped (SHOW ON MAP)
• 12th time camping in a National Park (SEE THE 11th)
• Part of my 4th Annual “Bike-A-Palooza” (SEE the Whole Trip)

The Park

The Theodore Roosevelt National Park is in the badlands of western North Dakota. Roosevelt lived in the area after his mother and wife died hours apart on February 14, 1884. Theodore Roosevelt National Park is the only American national park named after a single person.

Here’s the “Little Missouri River” that flowed net to my campsite.

The Wildlife

After not seeing any Bison at Yellowstone National Park, only 2 Bison in the Blacks Hills of South Dakota,…. I hit the jackpot!!!! I was going to drive around the park, and I stumbled into a herd of Bison. I stayed 20-30 minutes and just took pictures/movies.

• The pictures that are little grainy… are digitally zoomed in
• The pictures that are the sharpest are at normal magnification.
• The “up-close-and-personal” Bison movie at the end is totally worth watching!!!!!

Bison, elk, and bighorn sheep were reintroduced to the park in 1956. Park officials manage those populations to maintain a balanced ecosystem. The bison are shared with Native American tribes to increase numbers in existing tribal herds and provide genetic diversity. Bison in this portion of the park are routinely managed to maintain approximately 350.

Last of all… this frog greeted me in the morning while I made coffee.

Thousands of Acres of Sunflowers

On my drive along Hwy 85 (up and down the Western edge of North Dakota), I saw huge fields of sunflowers. Beginning in late July and into August, thousands of acres of sunflower fields across the state explode into vibrant golden blooms, creating a striking contrast against blue prairie skies.

North Dakota is known for its fields of sunflowers, with the state being a national leader in sunflower production, thanks to Ukrainian immigrants who brought the crop to the state in the late 1800s.

I regret not stopping and taking my own picture, but this scene is exactly what I saw south of Bowman and north of Buffalo. In 2024, North Dakota’s sunflower production was 519 million pounds.