TRNP News

(Medora, ND)
In braking news today, drivers on the North Unit loop of Teddy Roosevelt National Park were gridlocked by herds of bison who have taken control of the roads in the absence of tourists. No park rangers were on site for comment, but trails were open and restrooms flush with toilet paper and hand sanitizer.

Video of Bison

The North Unit is 68 miles from Sully Creek State Park on the border of Little Missouri National Grasslands, with the Painted Canyon Visitor Center and rest stop along the way. Here you can overnight in your rig or hike a mile in and out of a 400 foot deep canyon on a no-horses trail that has been pitted by hooves. If Sheri had not crossed break-a-leg off her list, this would have been the perfect trail for it. When you’re passing through ND on I-94 and don’t have time for a TRNP visit, this rest and hike will give you an authentic taste of Badlands terrain.

The North and South Units are like the Hatfields and McCoys. Two clans, with much the same scenery and wildlife in the same geography, fighting for tourist attraction. The south is heavily favored for hospitality and entertainment amenities just outside the park’s gate while the north is an off-the-beaten path destination. If you’re vibe is beach boardwalk, go south, if you’re cabin the woods, go north. Either way tho, you can’t go wrong.

In other news, the South Unit town of Medora, is a ghost town. Tourists are precious cargo and the proprietors stand ready to serve you a beer, cook you a burger, sell you a keychain. They’re thrilled you came but are sad there aren’t more of you.

The Little Missouri Saloon is set up for social distancing. Two stools placed together, six feet in-between. Tables are seated two empty, one full, two empty, one full. The bartender serving us a Summit Brewing Dakota Soul Pilsner and Brown Ale with homemade fried pickle rolls said the place would be booming if it weren’t 2020. We were hesitant to partake, but it also feels like this was a place to re-enter the world.

Back at camp, the Sully Creek trailhead for the Mah Daah Hey switchbacks up to the top of a painted ridge to overlook the river basin. Eric tested the drone for range and captured striking footage of our North Dakota home.

Friday will mark the seventh tether-less day for Roxie. Like a mini space station, she is keeping her crew happy with zero cords, cables or pipes running to civilization. Seven days and 1500 miles living off the grid, conserving water, running off solar and propane, charging laptop and cell phone batteries on the drives.

After 10 weeks on full hook-up at Barksdale, apprehension had built over our plan to dry-camp often. Four days on the road and four in Sully Creek State Park have blown away our fears. 100 yards from the banks of the Little Missouri and with the bluffs of the Badlands as our backdrop, we could not be more satisfied with Roxie’s dry-camp-ability. The eighty gallons of fresh water in the tank would last another week if we could stay. Each day the sun fully replenishes our electric used to keep the water pump, lights, fridge, fans, igniters, radio, awning, slides and jacks running. It does not hurt that the sun rises at 5 am and sets at 9 pm. The propane system effortlessly provides hot showers, hot tap water, furnace heat for the 40 degree nights and gourmet cooking on the stove and in the oven. What we don’t get in this lifestyle is use of anything with a plug. We have a small generator for emergencies, but have yet to fire it up.

The ever present Dakota wind blowing through the trees is our sound companion replacing the talking heads of cable TV. Teddy Roosevelt claims he never would have been President if he had not had his ranch in the North Dakota Badlands. It’s where you learn to be resilient, break from the noise, reduce stress and find clarity. We get that.