NORTH DAKOTA - 50th State Monday 9/23/19 part 2

Theodore Roosevelt National Park includes parts of the Great Plains, the Badlands, and the Little Missouri River - wow, and it is amazing! TR did not create the National Park Service, but he created five National Parks, many National Monuments, Forest, and Wildlife Refuges.

Painted Canyon Visitor Center

TR's Maltese Cross Cabin

We saw stunning vistas at the Painted Canyon Visitor Center, then entered the Park and went to the South Unit Visitor Center. The Maltese Cross Cabin, named for the cattle brand, is located behind the SUVC, this was TR's cabin back when this area was his ranch.

The first prairie dog town that we saw.

On our way to Cottonwood Campground, we passed the first of several prairie dog towns. They have sentinels that chirp out alarms, then they scurry off into one of the thousand holes. What fun it was to watch them!  The campground was lovely, we both think that the campsites here are the largest single sites we've ever stayed in. Big sites and spaced far apart, with the Little Missouri River a few hundred feet away.  We enjoyed gazing at the Milky Way in the dark night sky before turning in.

Little Missouri River near our campsite.

This spacious campsite also includes space for 2 vehicles!