North Dakota Highlights

Our trip to Glacier included 3 nights spent in North Dakota - 1 night each in the South and North units of Theodore Roosevelt National Park on the way to Glacier NP and 1 night camping on the drive home at Schnell Recreation Area west of Bismarck, a convenient and very pleasant campground that cost just $5!
 

We toured the state capitol in Bismark.  It was a fun and informative tour with just Cristin, myself, and the tour guide.  In judging its architecture, I guess you have to consider that it was constructed during the Great Depression. 

The stylish North Dakota capitol in Bismarck

Spikes of wheat are the inspiration for  the art deco chandeliers in the capitol.

We camped at the Cottonwood campground in the South Unit and drove the 35 mile scenic loop there.  We had a a ranger guided tour of Teddy's Elkhorn restored cabin, now located at the visitor center in Medora. 



We saw many wild horses in the South Unit   



Along the Ridgeline Trail

 I had never been to the North Unit.  We found it quite spectacular.



Cannonball Concretions 

Concretions are concentrations of erosion-resistant minerals

leached  from ground water flowing thru the sandstone.

Hiking along the dramatic Caprock Coulee trail.

 

Wildflowers in unusually brilliant and late July bloom,
 due to a cold and wet spring.

 

The Little Missouri River.

 

Sandstone blocks, laying like large logs.  

Hiking on the Caprock, literally