Here’s s sense of what the trails are like:

This is a view from the Ridgeline Trail:

And, this one is from Wind Canyon Trail:

TRNP is less “spectacular” than that of Yellowstone or Grand Teton. But, it’s much less crowded and feels more intimate — thereby more easily allowing you to become part of nature and the environment. 

Here’s a good vista of the park that I took from an overlook off of I-94:

We’d happily return for a longer visit…

After TRNP, we returned to Medora for lunch and then drove about 3.5 hours to Deadwood, SD. This should be a better jumping off point for our plans tomorrow, including Mt. Rushmore.

Deadwood itself is kind of like a Wild West-themed version of Gatlinburg, TN for bikers. The architecture in the historic district (and the history itself) is interesting. But, it’s basically a tourist trap for bikers and gamblers. We ate dinner at the best place in town (according to Yelp), and it was fairly pedestrian (though Emerson really liked her Mac and Cheese, which I think may have been Kraft). So, unlike Medora, I wouldn’t put Deadwood on my “must return” list. But, we’re glad to have seen it. 

Today’s box score: +1 state (South Dakota)

But, we eventually got out act together and drove up to Bozeman via Big Sky following (more or less) the Gallatin River through one of the most picturesque sections of road we’ve seen on this trip. Big Sky is also clearly “big dollars.” I can see why though: the location and real estate both look pretty breathtaking. 

In Bozeman, we stopped at the Museum of the Rockies, which has an impressive dinosaur collection.

This guy is especially impressive, as it isn’t merely a casting (as most dinosaur skeletons are) but the real fossil:

The museum also had some interesting exhibits on Montana history and culture, as well as a hands-on, interpretive history site that demonstrated daily life in 1890s Montana:

I should also mention that the town of Bozeman itself was fairly appealing.  Maybe not a great place to visit (not a lot of touristic interest), but it seems like a good place to live if you can accept the climate. 

The drive across the rest of Montana to Medora, ND was rather pleasant and interesting enough. Eastern Montana certainly isn’t as arrestingly beautiful as Western Montana’s mountains. However, it was a nice change of pace from Florida. 

We arrived in Medora, ND around 6pm and checked into our fairly “old school” motel. I didn’t expect much of the town or accommodations — we were just coming for the Theodore Roosevelt National Park. But, we were shocked by what we found: a pristine, quaint, well cared for town and a modest but very nice (and newly renovated) motel. 

We were utterly smitten.

How did this come to pass? It turns out the town was founded by a French aristocratic (using his wealthy American in-laws money), who’s business there ultimately failed (though his “chateau” remains). Teddy Roosevelt, of course, loved the area and helped to make it famous. But, Medora kind of languished until it was bolstered by the vision and finances of the inventor of Mr. Bubbles (among other things).  Today, it thrives, supported by a well-endowed, non-profit foundation and hundreds of volunteers each summer. I could go on, but I suggest you just read about it at Medora’s web site. 

Here’s a couple of photos of the town, including an awesome playground:

Today’s box score: +1 state (North Dakota)