(Day 27). We hit the road early, with our first stop of the day at the Fargo Visitors Center. It had already closed by
the time we rolled in the night before, and we weren’t about to miss its quirky highlights—most notably, the world’s
most famous wood chipper from the movie Fargo. A bit of dark Hollywood history tucked away in the North Dakota prairie. The first leg of the drive took us through vast, flat grasslands that gradually gave way to gently rolling plains. As the terrain shifted, so did the weather. Rain swept in, the temperature dropped, and the wind added its own chilly signature. It was the kind of moment that demanded not only the dreaded “leg prisons” (aka pants), but also the heavy coat and gloves just to pump gas—a wet, cold, thoroughly unpleasant trifecta.
After setting up camp, we squeezed in a bit of work before heading to the visitors center at Theodore Roosevelt National Park—the crown jewel of this stop. With rain forecasted for the next several days, we would need to strategize the best ways to see the park in the inclement weather. Many of the hikes I had scouted out would have to be canceled. Even so, there’s no shortage of ways to explore this incredible park.
Dinner took us to Theodore’s Dining Room inside the historic Rough Riders Hotel - and it did not disappoint. Perfectly
cooked steaks and a cozy, classic Western atmosphere made it a must-stop in Medora.
A surprising highlight of the evening was the hotel’s stunning lobby library, an immersive tribute to Theodore Roosevelt. It’s said to be the largest private collection of books by and about him—his writings, biographies, and deep
dives into every chapter of his remarkable life. As a reformer, conservationist, soldier, and leader of the Rough Riders, Roosevelt’s legacy fills the towering shelves. With its two-story stone fireplace and warm ambiance, the library invites guests to settle in and truly connect with the spirit of the American West.
Tomorrow, rain or more rain, we keep exploring. Let's hope all the animals don't have a place to hide when it rains!
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