North Dakota Adventures part 2


The two-hour performances are held outdoors in the Burning Hills Amphitheatre, a stunning facility that holds close to 3,000 patrons. The original amphitheatre was constructed in 1958 and was rebuilt between 1990 and 1992. It sits nestled into the side of a hill overlooking the splendour of the North Dakota Badlands. For this reason alone, I can't imagine anyone not enjoying a visit to the Medora Musical. But music lovers are sure to enjoy the calibre of entertainment they will see during any given performance.

What we and many other patrons of the musical did before the performance was to partake in the Pitchfork Steak Fondue, held atop a hill perched over the amphitheatre. Juicy ribeye steaks are mounted on pitchforks and fondued in hot oil. They're then served up with an assortment of side dishes and your favourite beverage in true western style.

The western heritage of the region is celebrated in Medora. I'd recommend a visit to the new Center of Western Heritage & Cultures, also known as the Cowboy Hall of Fame. This 15,000 square foot complex cost $4-million to build and opened in 2005. Inside, you will see an interesting assortment of exhibits including a great variety of hand-stitched saddles. This is a must see for the horse or western enthusiast in your group.

I really enjoyed our visit to Medora because I found it to be less commercialized than some other more famous western towns I have encountered. Itís more laid back and easier to get away from it all. Weíre told that there are only 100 permanent residents in the town. The population swells during the summer months to facilitate visitors.

There is some very scenic and peaceful camping available in Medora. We especially liked the Medora Campground, nestled along the shores of the Little Missouri River. There are sites amidst the towering cottonwood trees. And there are sites that back onto the hills of the Badlands. They're all nice and the campground is very conveniently located on the western edge of town - not too far from the site of the Medora Musical.

Another fun diversion to enjoy while in Medora is to play a round of golf at the Bully Pulpit Golf Course. Even if you're not that into golfing, it's worth renting a cart and driving around this gorgeous masterpiece. The course was designed by Dr. Michael Hurdzan and is truly a work of art, having been named one of the "top 10 new courses in the U.S. for 2004" by Golf magazine and "America's best new affordable public course for 2005" by Golf Digest.

During the summer months, there is nowhere more beautiful in North Dakota than Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

Access to the south unit of the park is located just outside the town of Medora. The south unit of the park is home to wild buffalo, wild horses, bull snakes and lots of prairie dogs. Take your time driving the 36-mile scenic loop and you are likely to spot each of these as we did.

Travel Highway 85 North to access the north unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. This segment of the park is breathtakingly scenic, with well-pronounced layers of the Badlands visible in shades of reddish brown, black, grey and white. The scenic hike at Mile 8 is a must-see. Look for a sign saying "Riverbend Overlook" and be sure to take your camera to forever capture the vistas you pass along the trail.

We were fortunate to have visited this area at the beginning of July when the yellow sweet clover was in full bloom, adding an extra hue of colour to the already picture-perfect hills. The Forestry Association runs the CCC Campground in the park. It is unserviced, but it's worth a little inconvenience, just to be able to wake up amidst this beauty. Full service camping is available in the nearby community of Watford City. It's less scenic, but does offer a wide range of services and all the comforts of home if that's what you're looking for.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park is named in honour of the 26th president of the United States. Prior to his political life, Roosevelt spent some time living in North Dakota. He was a cattle rancher here in the 1880's and is later credited with having spearheaded the state's conservation movement. You can tour the modest log house where Roosevelt lived. It is located in the south unit of the park.

These are just some of the highlights of our North Dakota adventures. I hope you'll consider spending some time in the state. The roads are good, there's little traffic - and there's lots of fun and great camping just waiting for you to enjoy.


If you go:

For more information about the state of North Dakota, call North Dakota Tourism at (800) 435-5663 or (701) 328-2525 or visit their website at www.ndtourism.com. You'll find plenty of useful travel information online (including a link to all 423 campgrounds!) to help with your planning. Ask for a free copy of the colourful 2007 North Dakota Travel Guide.

For more information about Theodore Roosevelt National Park, go to: www.nps.gov/thro

For more information about the attractions of Medora, visit: www.medora.com or call toll-free (800) 633-6721

To see the great line-up for this year's Norsk Hostfest, visit www.hostfest.com. At this site, you can also download a PDF of the Hostfest Traveler, a newsletter especially for RVers.