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MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. – It was 1883 when Theodore Roosevelt landed in the Dakota Territory from New York to hunt Bison; a hunting excursion that would forever transform his life and alter the course of our nation.
“I would not have been president had it not been for my experience in North Dakota,” Theodore Roosevelt.
It was here in the badlands and prairies of Dakota that Roosevelt found peace and solace so that he may grieve his wife and mother, who both passed away hours apart. During his seasonal retreats to the region, he grew inspired to pursue a career in politics and developed the passion for nature and conservation that eventually lead to one of his most significant political contributions; the establishment of the Nation Park Service.
Senior Airman Alyssa Bankston and I packed up our car and drove south to the Cottonwood campground, located in the south unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park (TRNP), about three and a half hours from Minot Air Force Base. Roughly an hour from the park entrance, we were greeted with Teddy’s beloved prairie and badlands; a landscape so serene, I hardly recognized it as North Dakota.
We arrived at our campsite around 5:30 p.m., taking advantage of the extended summer daylight and timezone change as we hit a few small overlook trails at 6 p.m. The “Wind Canyon” trail exemplifies the accessibility to scenic beauty that the National Park Service provides to the general public. The one mile loop trail begins at a clearly marked trailhead directly off the main road that runs through the park. Mostly flat and easy to navigate, the trail is easily walkable for people of any hiking ability, and seemed to be enjoyed by a family of five with children no older than ten years.
“Anybody can love the mountains, but it takes a soul to love the prairie,” Willa Carther.
The Wind Canyon Trail provided us with the view of the Little Missouri River and a vantage point that demonstrated the vibrance of the of the lush greenery filling the badlands. I began to realize that North Dakota had received intense cycles of rain and sunshine over the weeks prior to our visit, resulting in the exceptional conditions we were experiencing at the park. Even the wildlife seemed to be taking advantage of the perfect conditions, as Bison and large groups of wild horse were spotted within the first hour of our visit at the park.
The North Unit of the park is two and a half hours south of Minot and provides an opportunity to visit the park and head back to base all within a day. The North Unit is smaller and much less visited than its South Unit counter part, located another hour and fifteen minutes south, and doesn’t lack any appeal found in the main South Unit. The Buckhorn trail of the North Unit beautifully showcases all the charm that the region has to offer; 11 miles of wide open plains, breathtaking overlooks, and deep canyons to traverse through all while being kept company by the prairie dogs and bison.
Having visited some of the country’s most heavenly national parks such as Yosemite, Yellowstone, Redwood, and Zion, I was fully prepared to have somewhat of an underwhelming experience at Theodore Roosevelt. Yosemite’s ethereal majesty will forever be unmatched, but TRNP has plenty to offer to the hardcore hiker, casual nature lover, and the rookie camper.
“We have become great because of the lavish use of our resources. But the time has come to inquire seriously what will happen when our forests are gone, when the coal, the iron, the oil, and the gas are exhausted, when the soils have still further impoverished and washed into the streams, polluting the rivers, denuding the fields and obstructing navigation,” Theodore Roosevelt.
Roosevelt believed conservation was a moral and patriotic duty; a value that was imprinted upon him when he began to observe the mismanagement of natural resources by ranchers, industry and government. Over 100 years after his death, proof of his legacy lies apparent in the thriving wildlife, blanketing plant growth, and campsites packed with adventurers looking to simply take it all in. A sanctuary for all that is living, Theodore Roosevelt National Park honors the 26th president by sustaining life in the park.
Active duty military are allowed free entrance into all national parks upon receiving the “military pass” from ww.rec.gov. Campsites at TRNP are $10 per night for standard size campsite and $20 for group sites. Equipment such as tents, ice chests and sleeping bags are available to rent from outdoor rec.| Date Taken: | 07.31.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.11.2025 17:13 |
| Story ID: | 545360 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 16 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Recharge, reflect and explore: A call to airmen to visit Theodore Roosevelt National Park, by A1C Vincent Padilla, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
