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Jerry Pillarelli | profile | all galleries >> Travel and Nature; Sites by State >> US Travel; by Trip, by State >> North Dakota >> Theodore Roosevelt National Park – North Dakota >> Theodore Roosevelt National Park - South Unit – North Dakota tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Theodore Roosevelt National Park - South Unit – North Dakota

Images of Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit – North Dakota, taken in July 2017.

The South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park is navigated via the 36 mile Scenic Loop Drive through prairies and badlands created and nourished by the Little Missouri River.

Bison, millions of which once roamed these prairies, were reintroduced into the park in 1956 and have flourished. Standoffs between cars and Bison are common and always culminate with beast winning over man…the bison only move when they are ready to move. I had one such impasse and witnessed several others but the most amusing standoff of the week was between a large Chevy truck and a lone Prairie Dog. Once again, animal wins over man!

I went on several longer hikes in the South Unit including through Painted Canyon but the nicest surprise was my trip into the park wilderness area on the North Petrified Forest Trail. It was here that I passed through a large field of petrified wood highlighted by a small canyon populated with amazingly preserved ancient trees stumps. It was along this trail that I also had some company. The park is home to a large number of wild horses and I had one as an escort down the prairie trail until I descended into the valley of the petrified wood. Once in the canyon I noticed that the horse remained on the rim and didn’t move until I came back up the trail over an hour later. I can’t be sure if it was concerned about me or angered that I was there but he lost interest as I headed back to the trailhead.
Little Missouri River at sunset along the Wind Canyon Trail in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Little Missouri River at sunset along the Wind Canyon Trail in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit 		Little Missouri River along the Wind Canyon Trail in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Little Missouri River along the Wind Canyon Trail in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit		 The sun setting over the Little Missouri River in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
The sun setting over the Little Missouri River in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit		 Sunset over the Little Missouri River in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Sunset over the Little Missouri River in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit		 Little Missouri River along the Wind Canyon Trail in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Little Missouri River along the Wind Canyon Trail in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Bison in the Little Missouri River at sunset in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Bison in the Little Missouri River at sunset in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit		 Bison cross the Little Missouri River in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Bison cross the Little Missouri River in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit		 Close-up of a Bison in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Close-up of a Bison in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit		 Feral horse and foal overlooking the valley in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Feral horse and foal overlooking the valley in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit		 Wild horses on the prairie in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Wild horses on the prairie in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Painted Canyon from the rim at sunrise in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Painted Canyon from the rim at sunrise in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit		 Petrified wood along the Painted Canyon Trail in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Petrified wood along the Painted Canyon Trail in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit		 Cap rock formation along the Painted Canyon Trail in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Cap rock formation along the Painted Canyon Trail in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit		 Hill at sunrise along the Painted Canyon Trail in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Hill at sunrise along the Painted Canyon Trail in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit		 Eroded hill at sunrise along the Painted Canyon Trail in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Eroded hill at sunrise along the Painted Canyon Trail in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Mountainside at sunrise along the Painted Canyon Trail in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Mountainside at sunrise along the Painted Canyon Trail in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit		 View descending into the valley on the Painted Canyon Trail in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
View descending into the valley on the Painted Canyon Trail in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit		 Wild horse herd in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Wild horse herd in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit		 Solitary tree on the prairie in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Solitary tree on the prairie in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit		 Cap rock formation along the Painted Canyon Trail in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Cap rock formation along the Painted Canyon Trail in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Approaching thunderstorm in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Approaching thunderstorm in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit		 Thunderstorm near Wind Canyon in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Thunderstorm near Wind Canyon in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit		 Sun enveloped by clouds in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Sun enveloped by clouds in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit		 A thunderstorm darkens the skies over Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
A thunderstorm darkens the skies over Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit		 Prairie and mounds in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Prairie and mounds in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Theodore Roosevelt’s Maltese Cross Cabin in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Theodore Roosevelt’s Maltese Cross Cabin in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit		 Maltese Cross hammered into a cabin log by Theodore Roosevelt in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Maltese Cross hammered into a cabin log by Theodore Roosevelt in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit		 Resting Bison in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Resting Bison in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit		 Yucca plant baring fruit in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Yucca plant baring fruit in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit		 Snake on the Loop Drive Road in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Snake on the Loop Drive Road in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
I square off with Bison on the Loop Drive Road in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
I square off with Bison on the Loop Drive Road in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit		 Badlands hills in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Badlands hills in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit		 Wild horse on a prairie hillside in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Wild horse on a prairie hillside in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit		 Eroded rock formations in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Eroded rock formations in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit		 Traveler has a standoff with a Prairie Dog in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Traveler has a standoff with a Prairie Dog in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Mountainous badlands and prairie in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Mountainous badlands and prairie in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit 		Prairie chicken in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Prairie chicken in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit		 Dragonfly in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Dragonfly in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit		 Close-up of a wild horse in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Close-up of a wild horse in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit		 The Loop road passing through a Prairie Dog Town in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
The Loop road passing through a Prairie Dog Town in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Petrified stumps along the North Petrified Forest Trail in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Petrified stumps along the North Petrified Forest Trail in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit		 Close-up of a petrified stump along the North Petrified Forest Trail in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Close-up of a petrified stump along the North Petrified Forest Trail in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit		 Petrified tree stumps along the North Petrified Forest Trail in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Petrified tree stumps along the North Petrified Forest Trail in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit		 Close-up of petrified wood in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Close-up of petrified wood in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit		 Petrified stumps along the North Petrified Forest Trail in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Petrified stumps along the North Petrified Forest Trail in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
A petrified stump along the North Petrified Forest Trail in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
A petrified stump along the North Petrified Forest Trail in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit		 A piece of petrified wood along the North Petrified Forest Trail in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
A piece of petrified wood along the North Petrified Forest Trail in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit		 Feral horse watching me along the North Petrified Forest Trail in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Feral horse watching me along the North Petrified Forest Trail in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit		 Petrified stumps along the North Petrified Forest Trail in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Petrified stumps along the North Petrified Forest Trail in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit		 Petrified wood bark along the North Petrified Forest Trail in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit
Petrified wood bark along the North Petrified Forest Trail in Theodore Roosevelt NP - South Unit

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Guest 28-Jul-2017 10:52
Great pics: the prairie dog vs the truck reminded me of that famous Tiananem Square photo of the gou vs. the tank.
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