Theodore Roosevelt National Park and Lewis and Clark

After some aggressive driving across the broad plains, we landed at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center north of Bismark, Montana, where we immersed ourselves in the story of these great explorers as they wintered at Fort Mandan and then proceeded up the Missouri River in search of the route west.

a brief stop outside to ride some of the few remaining buffalo on the Great Plains.....

We took full advantage of the interactive displays in this great facility.

Buffalo robes are now a valuable commodity, but once they were a very heavy but weatherproof garment.

Dirk went crazy over the cool exhibits!

The interpreter at the replica Fort Mandan was very informative.

Each room was furnished as it would have been with the most accurate representation I have ever seen in an old fort.

Then we went a short distance to where the Mandan Indian village at which the expedition wintered had been. This replica earthen lodge was big and potentially quite warm.

The tribes were nearly wiped out by smallpox thirty years later, and all that remains of the actual village is a bunch of pockmarks in the grasslands along the river, each one representing the site of an earthen lodge.

Some serious construction went into these homes and this reproduction.  Even a bone rake and hoe for the corn fields were there.

Then a few hours later we drove into the north unit of the little visited Theodore Roosevelt National Park.  The early summer is a gorgeous time to visit.

Encountered this lone bull buffalo on our walk around our campground.

My favorite of all hikes was our visit to the remote prairie dog village.

We could get up close and personal with the doggies.  After our excitement at seeing 4 transplanted prairie dogs at Bryce and distant colonies around Denver, we were amazed to see  nearly endless stretches of prairie dog holes and cautiously curious prairie dogs......lots of youngsters, too!

Here you see Dirk amidst the doggies, with three buffalo guarding our pathway back to the RV. We maneuvered through them with some trepidation but little trouble.

My foot, buffalo foot.   They are big boys!

As we headed to the south unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, who should we discover but old Teddy himself. He was in good spirits and had a nice chat with Dirk.

We drove the scenic route with many stops with short and usually very windy scenic walks. We were both in the throws of colds originating at Voyageurs and not full of energy. A good day for easy awesomeness!

Felt pretty sorry for this coyote in the midst of the prairie dog town.  He looked pretty confused and discouraged.

Took a little break from nature to go to the outdoor Medora Musical in the historic town of, guess what, Medora!  Good singing and after dark they lit up the hillside as well as the stage!

Before departing we took a side trip to the petrified forest, where we encountered splendid wood, crystal, plant, and lichen combinations.

some weird geological formations (capstones),

an amazing landscape which we could wander freely through,

some dung beetles enjoying buffalo poop in the trail,

an expansive stretch of grasslands en route from parking lot to "forest,"

some terrific wildflowers,

prickly pear,

and wild rose.

Then off again, this time headed for Glacier National Park.  A good stop en route was Great Falls, Montana, where the falls caused Lewis and Clark to have to portage their large dug out canoes for 18 miles.  The Lewis and Clark National Interpretive Center here had a full scale replica of the process and an entire floor where one followed the pathway of the explorers, learning about the flora, fauna, natives, challenges, strategizing, etc.  Even better than the first interpretive center.

Outside the Center was a 19 mile River's Edge bike trail along the Missouri, where one could view some of the falls that held up the expedition, as well as this monument.

Although dams have been build above 2/3 of the falls we saw, they were tastefully constructed above the falls so that the beauty of the falls remains.

To complete our Missouri River education we headed downstream for 30 miles to Fort Benton, gateway to the Missouri Breaks National Scenic River.  Rain and cold weather short-circuited our plans to float the river.  But the town had a great campsite along the river, complete with flocks of white pelicans......probably the same ones we saw wintering in Florida.  We were amazed at the complete lack of trees in eastern Montana.

The historic fur trading fort and terminus for steamships coming up the Missouri are replicated in this town.

Can you guess what this important fur trading fort apparatus is????

A movie replica of one of the keel boats used by Lewis and Clark.  The thing above is a buffalo hide press.

We ended our stay in Montana at still another monument to the great explorers and their Indian guide, along the historic levee of Fort Benton.  As we leave, our plans for a rendezvous with our Canadian friends at Glacier are coming into question as we hear of floods and catastrophies occuring in the park.