Medora, North Dakota

September 25, 2024

We drove straight to Dakota Cyclery in the heart of Medora. The bike shop had everything - a full spectrum bicycle shop. One of the owners, Jen, selected our bikes and got us suited up with a helmet and drinks for our trip. She had us practice riding around town in front of the shop before we loaded up into a van with the bikes to a section of the Maah Daah Hey Trail. Although technically this was a ride for beginners, we were glad we had Jen as our guide to show us the way. It took some courage to go through many sections of the narrow paths, but nothing too dangerous. The scenery was incredible. Ultimately, we felt accomplished and tired but had a great time. We walked from the bicycle shop to Badlands Pizza. They offer an all-you-can-eat pizza buffet during the summer, perfect for coming off the Trail. We could immediately start eating and drinking.....a lot of pizza, chicken, salad, and desserts,

After lunch, we drove to the Theodore Roosevelt National Park Visitor's Center. It was so close we could have walked there, but we needed our car to explore the rest of the Park. After watching the movie in the Visitor's Center, we picked up a map from a Park Ranger and began the park's driving tour. The route used to be a loop, but now it is an out-and-back due to a road closure. We stopped at multiple lookouts along the way for short hikes. We saw a herd of bison in the distance and a couple of solo bison in different areas of the park. The best animal sighting, though, was the prairie dogs. The prairie dog towns are right next to the road, so you can watch from your vehicle. They are so fun to watch! We had a surprise, although not pleasant, experience of watching a coyote catch and eat a prairie dog. It was amazing to see how the rest of the colony disappeared except for the sentinel prairie dogs, who kept focused watch on the coyote before he went away.

We stopped at the Visitor's Center on the way out to quickly change clothes for the beautiful evening we had in store. It started with the Pitchfork Steak Fondue put on by the Medora Foundation. The setting was perfect - large pavilions overlooking the town of Medora and the scenery below. The steak was perfectly cooked on a pitchfork (hence the name), and plenty of side dishes made a hearty meal. Delicious! We enjoyed conversations with fellow travelers and locals at the seat-yourself picnic tables. After dinner, we walked to the Medora Musical outdoor amphitheater. The theater setting was beautiful even before the show started. The show was a great mix of current and classic songs by talented singers and dancers. It was an entertaining performance with a bit of history mixed and some audience involvement with kids. Tapping our feet to This Land is Your Land and watching the American flag displayed during the show brought chills as we reminisced about our 50-state journey. The sunset was during the performance, so the latter portion of the show was on the lit stage with fireworks. The Musical is a must-see in Medora. It is truly a North Dakota treasure.

After the Musical, we stopped at the gas station in town (there is only one!) to gas up and pick up a carton of Chokeberry Ice Cream. It was a short drive to our Sully Creek State Park campsite. There are sites inside Theodore Roosevelt National Park, but spots fill up quickly. There is also a Medora Campground within walking distance to town, but the spots are closer together and better fit for RV camping. Sully Creek was great for tent camping, although it was pretty chilly at night, even though it was July! We explored the horse campground in the morning and dipped our fingers in the Little Missouri River. Its nickname is "Little Muddy," and true to its name, it was too muddy for swimming. We drove to Medora and did the Point-to-Point Hike - another Medora must-do! Theodore Roosevelt was known for hiking over, under, or through obstacles but never around them. The 1.5-mile trail included an optional ladder, informational signs, and great views. Free guided hikes led by the Theodore Roosevelt impersonator are offered most mornings at 7:30 a.m. Near the parking area is a great playground, even for big kids, with a giant trampoline and zip lines. For those staying longer, there is a paid admission Point to Point Park pool that would feel great after a hike!

We could see Medora Riding Stables during our Point-to-Point hike, so we knew it was just a short drive to the stables. We stopped by the gas station to grab a breakfast biscuit but found out they stopped serving them at 10:00. We heard this was easy, delicious, quick breakfast, so too bad we arrived 15 minutes too late! Instead we just ate snacks from the car and headed to the Stables. Our tour was at 11:00, but they request that you arrive 30 minutes early. We were highly entertained by the thousands of grasshoppers hopping all over the parking area! You'll need reservations because the trail rides sell out, as only ten people go on a trail ride at a time. It was an incredible experience to be on top of a horse walking up and down the hills of the area. We daydreamed that we were characters in a Louis L'Amour book crossing the terrain. The ride lasted about an hour before we returned to the Stables.

Ice cream was beckoning once again, so we stopped in at the Fudge and Ice Cream Depot in Medora. A kid scoop was perfect for each of us! As we walked through the town we came across the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library headquarters. Construction has already started in this architectural wonder, which is planned to open in 2026. Theodore Roosevelt would be very pleased with all the plans in the works! With our flight in the afternoon, we needed to return to Fargo for our evening flight. On the way back, we stopped at Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park and did a quick tour of the fort and the On-a-Slant village where the Mandan tribe lived. Read I-94 Road Trip. Unfortunately, Medora was in our rearview window until we visit again.