BeautifulBadlandsND

A Killer Blizzard Convinced People to Restore the Bison Herds

Bison Power Bison may be the largest North American animal in North America, and that’s part of why they are celebrated every November 2.  As you may expect, they are the stars of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park. If you don’t believe me, just look where cars are stopped and cameras are clicking.  And it was a killer blizzard that gave life to bison when their herds were nearly wiped out in…

Drive One of These 3 Spectacular Backyard Winter Road Trips

Stay warm while you are on a winter road trip Yeah, I don’t want to freeze my face in negative temperatures, either – and especially not if the wind is blowing. Yikes! So, let’s consider a warm winter road trip. Last week I shared how you can visit bison in the Theodore Roosevelt National Park.  This week, we suggest staying warm on one of these road trips in the Badlands. Believe it or not, it…

Stay Warm and Take a Drive A faint sundog overhead, bison stroll down the road like it’s a summer day, but it’s not. They were on the move in the South Unit, long before snow moved in, but it was cold – below zero. Here’s a winter’s win. When it’s bitterly cold, they don’t mind if you stay in the car to visit them. They are the largest mammal in the US — nothing to tangle with — and we’ve got…

5 Random Curious Facts about North Dakota Turkeys

Turkeys are not supposed to be here…but here they are! 1. Immigrant Turkeys That’s right.  Turkeys are not supposed to be here.  North Dakota is a bit too far north of their natural historic range of Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona.  It was generally assumed that North Dakota’s winters limited the ability for turkeys to thrive here.  Still, someone decided we needed North Dakota turkeys. So 60…

YIKES! The Wild North Dakota Badlands earn the name “Badlands.”

6 exciting books about the Badlands: myths, and legends, lynchings, murders and killer blizzards that shaped the people of the North Dakota Badlands. 6 “must-read” exciting books about the Badlands What if you could stand on a Badlands hill and see the old stories?  Tales of the bad men who hung out here, cattle drives that ended here, easterners who punched cows here. These six books about the…

Six books explain why the ND Badlands earn the name "Badlands"

6 places to find stories, myths, and legends — from lynchings to murders to killer blizzards. Ready to get the most out of the North Dakota Badlands experience?    6 “must-read” books about the Badlands What if you could stand on a Badlands hill and see the old stories?  Tales of the bad men who hung out here, cattle drives that ended here, easterners who punched cows here. These six books are…

#1 Suggestion for Hiking Boots– Vasque — Red Wing

The Absolute Must-have! (to get to the top of that next hill) If I had to pick one item I could not do without when I spent time in the rough outdoors, it would be my boots. I’m wearing them today as I write and scoop snow from the 2-foot dump we got.  My feet are warm and dry. Here’s why I think you are smart to invest in boots.  Here’s what you won’t do: You won’t wake up in a ravine from that…

Yes the TR National Park is open — Take an Autumn Drive Past Wildlife

We drove through the TR National Park the other day. Just an afternoon drive. Think about That For us North Dakotans, it seems so normal to say “I drove through the National Park the other day.”  I imagine millions of Americans do not have that luxury.  North Dakota’s Own National Park All it takes is a whim, and a tank of gas. The Theodore Roosevelt National Park is right here to enjoy. North or…

Is Mondak haunted? #1 Reason to visit Mondak Snowden Bridge–Stand at spot of murder and lynching

Is Mondak haunted?  That spooky feeling you get between the Snowden bridge and the Mondak town site may be from this double murder and lynching. It’s a two-part story gleaned from a stack of old newspaper accounts.  JC takes his troubles north JC had been in trouble before. It’s why he was here at the mancamp, just south of the Canadian border in the winter of 1913-1914.  That mess in Kansas may…

2 Madmen Killed 2 Families — Mass Murders in the Wild West

Haunted Spooky Wheelock If you have a heightened sense of paranormal activity, you may be rewarded by exploring the haunted Ray/Wheelock region.  There’s something about an area of the wild west that can claim two mass murders of families in one area, a jilted lover murder, and a robbery-murder.  A deranged madman killing innocent people, even infants, tends to make spooky stories. The Start of…

You Decide. Is this spooky story true?

The spooky stories Are they true? You decide. Okay, I don’t know how to separate truth from fiction, superstition from the truth, or fable from fact.  But I still like to put my ear to the ground to hear what’s rumbling out there.  I may not agree, but I respect the history of stories. Where did they come from? This time of year, spooky stories abound.  This is one. Rock Faces So, the spooky…

Thanks! Who is this guy? Found him!

An Error of Omission I made an error of omission at the NDRA Finals Rodeo in Watford City.  It’s one of the many fun things to do using Watford City as a base camp, or hub spot.  So, hitting up the rodeo was a natural. What wasn’t a natural was my forgetfulness. (Or maybe it is natural. I can’t remember.) This was right in town.  And it was a happy event. More fun images will be posted…

Kids Show off the Quality of Life in Western North Dakota

Kids and quality of life in the West Have you ever noticed you are around something a lot, but you don’t notice it? Then, once you notice, you can’t help but notice it every time. That happened to me this summer.  We shifted our focus this summer from hiking and camping.  We focused instead on the quality-of-life events in western North Dakota.  So, we went to three powwows, three county fairs,…

Who is This Guy?

An Error of Omission I made an error of omission at the NDRA Finals Rodeo in Watford City.  It’s one of the many fun things to do using Watford City as a base camp, or hub spot.  So, hitting up the rodeo was a natural. What wasn’t a natural was my forgetfulness. (Or maybe it is natural. I can’t remember.) This was right in town.  And it was a happy event. More fun images will be posted…

Who is This Guy?

An Error of Omission I made an error of omission at the NDRA Finals Rodeo in Watford City.  It’s one of the many fun things to do using Watford City as a base camp, or hub spot.  So, hitting up the rodeo was a natural. What wasn’t a natural was my forgetfulness. (Or maybe it is natural. I can’t remember.) This was right in town.  And it was a happy event. More fun images will be posted…

It’s all in the cemetery records. Killed at Fort Buford. A cold winter’s sunset on Fort Buford. (Photo by Steven Reidburn) A brief history of Fort Buford — Murder and Suicide (Editor’s note. This murder suicide is one of several that happened at the Fort. A Halloween tour of the Fort’s cemetery is planned to give you the ghastly and ghostly stories.) Fort Buford Officer Row Disease and…

Road Trip to These 5 Places to see Autumn Badlands Colors

Take a drive along the Little Missouri River in the Badlands.  Any time of the year it will yield some of the best views of the Badlands.  Good hiking, good mountain biking, good camping. Now, as trees turn colors its a treat to see good native color.   1. The Yellow Gravel Road Be prepared for a long scenic drive on gravel roads that weave through the North Dakota Badlands.  You’ll be rewarded,…