The North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park is about half the size of the South Unit. The two Units are not directly connected but the Little Missouri River flows through both with the best views in the North. So starting from the South Unit in Medora, North Dakota, let’s embark on the 75 minute drive and explore the North Unit!
Arriving about 8am, let’s begin the Scenic Drive. To get your bearings, here’s the North Unit map. The red lines are the roads. The Park’s Scenic Drive is 14 miles from the Visitor Center to road’s end at Oxbow Overlook. It is already about 80 degrees outside, supposed to get to 100 degrees, so hiking is not on our agenda, just a few short walks. Still, the 28-mile round trip will offer lots of stops with views of beautiful hills and rock formations, meanderings of the Little Missouri River, and hopefully some wildlife.
Let’s take a minute to check out a few more features on the above map. Outside the Park’s boundaries is the Little Missouri National Grassland, overseen by the National Forest Service. See the CCC Campground below the green Park’s Visitor Center box? The Civilian Conservation Corp “was born of necessity during the Great Depression — a bold experiment that placed unemployed youth into the wilderness and asked them to rebuild a nation’s natural heritage.” The North Dakota State Historical Society sponsored three CCC companies, each with 200 men. They worked in the badlands from 1934 to 1941 and made valuable contributions in developing what became Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park in 1947 adding the North Unit in 1948. In 1978 President Carter signed the law making it Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
There are two other points of interest south of the North Unit. First the Long X Divide. This area was the end of a route used to move cattle from Texas to North Dakota. The green dashed line is the Maah Daah Hey Trail. A 144-mile single track, no motorized vehicles allowed adventure. Beginning in Burning Coal Vein Campground 20 miles south of Medora and ending in the CCC Campground outside the North Unit. Quite a hiking or biking adventure indeed!
Ahhh . . . back to the badlands along the first few miles inside the Park.
The bluish layers are Bentonite clay. Of course you know it isn’t that simple when it comes to geology, but we will keep it simple today. The black/brown narrower lines are coal, typically lignite. Lignite is a soft, brown combustible sedimentary rock that was formed by naturally compressed peat. This coal can be ignited by intense lightening storms common in North Dakota and can burn underground for years. The tan to brown layers are the more porous sandstone, siltstone, and mudstone.
Then we have the red rock, Cllinker. This forms when a coal vein catches fire and literally bakes the rock above. The red rock becomes much harder than surrounding rock. Keep watching, you’ll see Clinker here and there all over the Park.
We are about one third of the way along the Scenic Drive. We’ll stop at this pullout for unique rock formations: Cannonball concretions. These large, round stones don’t seem to fit in this badlands landscape. How did they get here?
This seems amazing, but the secret to their appearance is due to the nearby butte. When mineral rich water seeps down into the porous stone that makes up the badlands, the minerals can be deposited in spaces or gaps in the sediment. The minerals in the water acts as a kind of glue, holding the sediments together, often forming around a core. As more and more layers are deposited, the concretion builds outward like a pearl. They are finally exposed by erosion of the surrounding softer sedimentary rock. How long does it take? Only thousands to millions of years, so let’s show some respect 😉.
That huge cannonball at the trailhead is completely exposed, but the cannonballs in the butte’s walls are in different stages of exposure through erosion. There is a trail around this butte, so let’s take a look.
Oh my, this was a shock, so different. What are all the formations here called? As soon as you find you please let me know. Well, we know there are cannonballs. Concretions can come in other shapes, like those darker squares at left, but they are primarily round.
Let’s continue on the trail to the other side of the butte.
This side of the butte is very different. Wondering what formations are buried in those hillsides?
The trail continues and it would be interesting to see what surprises are ahead, BUT, it is already 94 degrees and I can’t be outside for long in such heat. Maybe next time in a cooler season.
We are two-thirds along the 14-mile Scenic Drive. This is River Bend Overlook.
The Little Missouri River with an overlook built by the CCC in 1937. They were building the Scenic Drive and this overlook was to blend into the scenery and offer a stunning river view. It is one of the few CCC buildings that still remains.
Looking west from the overlook cabin. Notice the Clinker? See the river to the left?
Looking east from the cabin the river continues on its way. We have some pretty steep stairs to climb back to the parking lot. Ahhh . . .
What a great view from higher up seeing the river and more amazing rock formations. From this point the Little Missouri’s confluence with the Missouri River is about 55 miles east.
As we continue along the Scenic Drive, we’re driving through high prairie grasslands. This is a nice pullout, not only shaded but there are beautiful yellow and purple wildflowers in all direction.
An American Goldfinch is enjoying the flowers too.
Our last stop and the end of the Scenic Drive: Oxbow Overlook. Can you follow the river? Comes in at right, makes a right turn opposite side of picture, then a left turn mid pic, leaves area far left. Easier to see on the Park’s information kiosk.
Heading back to the parking lot this view west offers a unique pointed hill, not to mention Clinker.
Familiar open grasslands residents. I sure miss the Bison. Always so happy to see them!
About 4 miles from the Visitor Center is Juniper campground, AND lots of cottonwoods shading a picnic area. Decided to stop and enjoy a snack for lunch. It is 102 degrees and there is a bit of a breeze that feels cooler– but still very HOT. Thank goodness for shade! Suddenly a visitor on a nearby picnic table!
A Red-headed Woodpecker! He hung around, table to table, tree to tree, until I left about 20 minutes later. What a lovely way to end a great visit to Theodore Roosevelt NP’s North Unit.
Until next time my friend, enjoy the last days of summer weather . . .
