Theodore Roosevelt: the North Dakota badlands that forged a president

In western North Dakota, the Little Missouri River has carved the prairie into a maze of striped hills, ravines and plateaus. You come across bison, wild horses and thousands of prairie dogs. This is where a young New Yorker named Theodore Roosevelt became a man of the West.

History and origins

Roosevelt arrived in 1883, aged 24, to hunt bison. He fell in love with the country and invested in a ranch. The following year, he lost his wife and his mother on the same day. He came back to bury himself here, and spent two years living the hard life of the cowboys.

He left a changed man. He also saw the bison and the great wild herds disappear. Once president, in 1901, he protected more than 90 million hectares of forests, parks and reserves. He would say that he would never have reached the White House without his time in Dakota. The site was protected in 1947 and became a national park in 1978.

What to do there

• Painted Canyon: an overlook beside the interstate, free, with a sweeping view of the badlands. Many travellers settle for that. It’s a pity.
• The South Unit road: a loop through the hills, starting from Medora. You stop for the bison, the horses and the prairie dogs, which whistle as cars go by.
• Roosevelt’s cabin: the little log house from his first ranch, moved to a spot behind the visitor center.
• Wind Canyon: a short trail to a bend in the river. The most beautiful place for sunset.
• The North Unit: an hour’s drive away, higher, greener and almost empty. A 22 km road leads to an overlook above the river.
• Elkhorn Ranch: the site of Roosevelt’s second ranch, at the end of long dirt roads. All that remains are the foundation stones and the silence he had come looking for.

Stories and good to know

• The park’s two units aren’t on the same time: the south is on Mountain Time, the north on Central Time.
• The park’s horses are descended from those of the region’s ranches and tribes. Their presence is a matter of debate.
• The park contains petrified logs, the remains of forests 55 million years old.

Practical information for your road trip

• Pass: the America the Beautiful pass covers the entrance fee. Everything is explained in our guide to the national parks pass.
• Getting there: the South Unit is beside Interstate 94, 2 hrs from Bismarck, the state capital. Allow 4 hrs from the Badlands of South Dakota.
• On site: no fuel or restaurant in the park. Medora, at the entrance, has everything you need in summer.
• Where to stay: in Medora, a reconstructed Western town, lively in summer and almost closed in winter.
• Combine it with: the Badlands, Mount Rushmore and Yellowstone, on a grand drive across the North.