Tadpoles are baby frogs! They go through an incomplete metamorphosis as they transform from a fish-like creature into their amphibian form.
Prairie dogs live in close family groups. They often greet family members by touching noses or mouths - like a kiss!
Wild turkeys are some of the largest birds found in the park.
Coyotes are crafty hunters. One of their favorite foods is prairie dog.
The northern leopard frog is one of the few amphibians found in the park. They start their life as tadpoles before metamorphosing into frogs.
Roosevelt like to draw and write in his journal about the animals he found while playing outside.
One place that almost always promises a wonderful sunset view is the Wind Canyon Trail in the South Unit of TRNP. A short stroll (0.3 miles) to an overlook of the Little Missouri flowing in a curve below with b More
Theodore's childhood nickname was "Teedie" - his parents and sisters called him that.
There are various layers of sediment going on in these Badlands formations. One such layer is of volcanic ash from when the Rocky Mountains were forming, known as Bentonite Clay. When wet, the clay becomes a ve More
Showy Milkweed (Asclepias speciosa): blooms in the months of June through August, between 2-3 feet in height, and has uses as medicine and/or food source (young shoots, flower buds, and green seed pods are all edible).
Prairie Wild Rose (Rosa arkansana): blooms in the months of June and July, less than 2 feet in height, and has uses for medicinal and edible purposes (the entire shrub; roots, stems, bark, and fruit).
Similar to that of a kiln baking ceramics, when a coal vein ignites (due to lightening strikes, forest fires, etc.), the heat will bake whatever rock sediment is above. Whether is be a sandstone, mudstone, and/ More
The flat area around a river is called the floodplain. The land rises in the background to a higher flat area called a plateau.
Wild Bergamont (Monarda fitulosa): blooms in the months of July into August, between 1-3 feet in height, and has uses as a seasoning, tea, perfume, and medicine.
Pincushion Cactus (Coryphantha vivipara): blooms in the months of late May into July, less than 3 inches in height, and has uses in treating burns and inflammation.
As the moon wanes and waxes, some of the best times to go into TRNP at night when the moon reaches either end of the spectrum in its cycle (full and/or new). During the full moon, one can easily go hiking by mo More
Black-tailed Prairie Dog (Cynomys ludovicianus): average of 11-4 inches in length and 1-3 pound in weight; primarily feed on plants; habitat consists of open plains where they will colonize in group to create a "town."
"Plesiadapis gidleyi" is an early primate that lived during the Paleocene. Fossils of "Plesiadapis" have been found at Big Bend National Park, Texas, and Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota.
The bright red-orange color of clinker makes a stunning contrast in the Badlands landscape.
Take a step down to the brink of the Little Missouri. Imagine being Theodore Roosevelt and having to chase after thieves that stole your boat just a few miles south of your home ranch, the Elkhorn Ranch. It was More
Get up close and personal with the Little Missouri River; discover why it is endearingly called "Little Muddy." Whether paddling or crossing, keep in mind that the Little Missouri can drastically vary in height More
Due to the nature of the geology, soft sedimentary rock, of the Badlands, occurrences such as "slumping" is rather common. This is where entire sections of the rock layers will shift and "slump" downward creati More
Commonly found in sedimentary rock formations, such as the badlands, hoodoos are created when softer layers of rock erode at a faster rate than a layer higher up in a formation. Eventually, through wind and rai More
One of the iconic and beloved spots in the North Unit of TRNP, the River Bend Overlook is an enduring structure from the 1930's when the Civilian Conservation Core built it in it's aptly named location.
Three CCC Companies, #2767, #2771, and #2772, operated in the badlands from 1934 to 1941. About 200 men, each earning $30 a month, worked at each of the camps.
In 1939, Company 2771 moved to this site on the east bank of the Little Missouri River just south of Jones Creek, which they occupied until November, 1941.
Bison trap and trap baiting in Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
Bison with a sunset from Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Picryl description: Public domain photograph of National Park, nature, free to use, no copyright restrictions image.
Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana): average of 4.5 feet in length and 75-140 pounds in weight; primarily variably feed on grasses, forbs, and shrubs; habitat consists of expansive open grasslands, providing enou More
Elk (Cervus canadensis): until the mating season, where males vie to protect as many females as they can (gathering their harem), male and female adult elk keeps themselves apart.
Bison (Bison bison): being able to catch sight of the bison really varies minute to minute due to the animals being very mobile grazers. Bison will travel, on average, 10-15 miles a day at rates up to 5-6 miles per hour.
Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus): average of 4-7 feet in length and 150-200 pounds in weight; primarily variably feed on grasses, forbs, shrubs, and trees; and habitat consists of North-facing slopes that provid More
Whether in the designated campground (Cottonwood Campground in the South Unit of TRNP) or in the back country, take the opportunity to fully embrace the badlands by pitching your tent and staying a night or more.
Elk (Cervus canadensis): average of 7-8 feet in length and 510-710 pounds in weight; primarily feed on native grasses, forbs, and trees; habitat consists of prairie grasslands for eating at dusk and dawn, then More
Coyote (Canis latrans): average of 3-4.5 feet in body length and 40 pounds in weight; primarily feed on other animals ranging from prairie dogs to deer; habitat consists of grasslands for hunting and sink holes More
Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis): average of 4.5-5.5 feet in length and 150-175 pounds in weight; primarily feed on grasses and shrubs; habitat consists of grasslands to steep cliff faces depending if they are g More
Public domain photograph related to US National Parks, Nature, conservation, free to use, no copyright restrictions image - Picryl description
Picryl description: Public domain image of a historical building, landmark architecture, world heritage, free to use, no copyright restrictions.
Public domain photograph by National Parks Administration, nature conservation, tourism, free to use, no copyright restrictions image - Picryl description
Theodore Roosevelt was always fascinated by the natural world! As a boy he would draw pictures and write in his journal about the animals he found and studied.
Photographer Daniel Silva was impressed by the vastness of this scene, which makes the trees look small amid the colorful landscape of Theodore Roosevelt Wilderness, North Dakota.
A coiled prairie rattlesnake. Public domain photograph related to US National Parks, Nature, conservation, free to use, no copyright restrictions image - Picryl description
Snakes are excellent climbers! This snake was probably climbing the tree to eat bird eggs.
One of the few lizards that lives in the park is the short-horned. When threatened they can squirt blood from their eyes - gross!
A view from Buck Hill, a high point in the South Unit.
The East Entrance Station is no longer in use, but it is still there. It's a short hike from the South Unit's Scenic Loop Road to the site. When I-94 was built, the entrance station moved to its current locatio More
Hairy woodpecker foraging for insects in the bark of a juniper tree.
CCC work crews built portions of the roads you can still drive on today.
A park ranger meets with visitors entering the historic East Entrance Station.
The end of the summer is the rutting season for the park's Bison.
The view at the Painted Canyon overlook.
Gold-leaved cottonwood trees mark the changing seasons and bring dramatic color to the riverbottoms in Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
Centarurea repens, Russian knapweed. The similar spotted knapweed, Centaurea maculosa, is also found in the park.
Wild horses in the South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
Solitary horses tend to be bachelor stallions that are trying to form a herd of their own.
A cottontail seeks the shade of a piece of petrified wood.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park has the third-largest concentration of petrified wood in the United States.
The verandah of Theodore Roosevelt’s Elkhorn Ranch on the Little Missouri River in North Dakota. Today it is part of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
Northern harriers, common in the summer, fly close to the ground to dive and ambush their prey.
Baby owls are called owlets. These great horned owlets are perched in a tree waiting for mom to bring back a snack.
Golden eagles nest in Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
An orange-crowned warbler darts from branch to branch in search of insects in a blooming wild plum tree. A warbler like this can consume one and a half times its body weight every day.
Visitors enjoy watching Prairie Dogs in Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Public domain photograph related to US National Parks, Nature, conservation, free to use, no copyright restrictions image - Picryl description
If you are lucky, you might spot a porcupine sitting in a cottonwood tree or ambling along the ground.
The park maintains a small group of longhorn steers in the North Unit as a historic demonstration herd. Steers of this type were moved Texas to new ranges on the Northern Great Plains via the Long X Trail in th More
Porcelanite, locally called "scoria," is essentially brick created as burning underground coal seams bake surrounding clay. True scoria is volcanic in origin.
The North American Pronghorn is the fastest land animal over a long distance.
In North Dakota, leafy spurge infests nearly 1 million acres. It costs North Dakota farmers and ranchers $27 million in direct impacts every year. Total economic impact to the state is estimated at $86 million.
Western kingbirds Public domain scan of print / book page depicting birds, ornithology, free to use, no copyright restrictions image - Picryl description
Sandstone concretions and eroding bentonite clay at the North Unit's Cannonball Concretions pullout.
Bison have a thick winter coat as seen in this photograph.
A coyote standing in a prairie dog town. Public domain photograph related to US National Parks, Nature, conservation, free to use, no copyright restrictions image - Picryl description
Cars line up to enter Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park's East Entrance.
A bull bison walking along the South Unit's Scenic Loop Drive.
River Bend Overlook, a CCC-built shelter and a terrific view in the North Unit.
Wild (Feral) Horses in the South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
Five kinds of Praire Dogs can be found in North America.
Snow covers the badlands in a view from Boicourt Overlook along the South Unit's 36-mile Scenic Loop Drive.
These Prairie Dogs are aware that danger might be close by.
Sagebrush checkerspot on dry bentonite clay
The Old East Entrance Station was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) and visitors can still hike to the location today.
This young Black-tailed Prairie Dog looks up from his hole to see if any predators are around.
Prairie Dog holes can be very close to the park's loop road.
The least chipmunk is the smallest type of chipmunk in North America.
Look before you sit! Prickly pears are found throughout the park and their flowers come in a variety of colors.
You can hear Black-tailed Prairie Dogs comunicating with each other in Prairie Dog towns in Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
The Little Missouri River runs past the Cottonwood Campground in the South Unit.
Prairie Dogs can sometimes dig through the park road.
The River Bend Overlook is a short walk from the parking area along the North Unit Scenic Drive.
A colorful badlands sunset. Picryl description: Public domain photograph of National Park, nature, free to use, no copyright restrictions image.
If you drive the South Unit's Scenic Loop Drive today, you will pass over this culvert built by the CCC.
The prairie rose, or wild rose, is common throughout the grasslands, and has an large, easily-recognizable flower.
The view from one of the many overlooks in the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
The Maltese Cross Cabin, located adjacent to the South Unit Visitor Center, is open for ranger-guided tours in the summer and self-guided tours the rest of the year.
Yucca is an easily-recognizable plant with stiff, thin, pointed leaves and tall stalks with multiple flowers.
Eastern kingbirds sit on a perch and zip out to catch insects on the wing before returning to their post