Forts and Badlands

Monday, July 3, 2017    Forts and Badlands

As you can see Bo really liked this hotel, as did we. 

We thought this sign amusing.  Looks like ND has some sort of marijuana laws.

We started the day by heading south leaving Williston, ND.  I had first heard about Williston five years ago after the oil boom had started.  It had a bad reputation of being filled with rough necks and bad boys.  We did not find this to be true, at least not anymore.  Most of the oil men we ran into were polite and respectful.  The locals we talked to said the big boom was over and now it was business as usual.  If you can take the Winters there is money to be made here.  We saw tons of new apartments, hotels and restaurants.  The road construction was still going on.  Several people did confirm that it gets down to -60* for weeks at a time.  That would be bone chilling.

Our first stop was the confluence of the Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers. 

Yellowstone River on the left and Missouri River on the right.  The Missouri River proceeds downstream to the left

This was an important spot for Lewis and Clark because it confirmed they were going the right way.  They did have to determine which of these two large rivers was continuing on as the Missouri.  This was also an important spot for the Indians and traders that followed. 

Ancient Ice Age Bison. Look at them horns!

The Interpretative Center was full of information on the local culture.  We saw the progression from homesteaders to civilization.  It was hard to believe that this part of North Dakota did not get electricity until 1950!

The largest paddlefish in ND was caught here last year, it weighed 130 pounds.

Next stop was Fort Buford on the banks of the Missouri River. 

Officer's Quarters. Also where Sitting Bull surrendered his weapon.

I had never heard of it before but as we toured the Officer’s Quarters we were given a full explanation of its importance by Arch, our tour guide.  This fort was established by “galvanized” Yankees.  These were captured Confederate Soldiers that were given the choice, go to the prison in Elmira NY or do a five year stint at Fort Buford in the newly opened up West.  The fort was important as a supply chain for the gold fields in Montana and also to keep an eye on the Indians.  The soldiers were dumped off the steamboat and left here to survive on the few supplies they brought with them and their wits. 

Soldier's barracks

check out this menu.  Applesauce for Supper

Sitting Bull and the Sioux Indians were a big presence in the area and they had more than one skirmish with them.  Later in history Sitting Bull would return to the fort and had his son turn in his weapon.  He did not surrender. 

We also visited another kind of fort, Fort Union.  This was actually a trading fort set up by John J. Astor to trade goods to the Indians for furs. It was called the American Fur Company and the most important fur trading company on the Missouri River.  Buffalo hides and Beaver (which was a huge need to supply the beautiful beaver hats that were in fashion) kept this fort busy.  It too was on the banks of the Missouri River. 

Home of John J Astor inside Fort Union

example of the furs the Indians traded

The Trade Room.  This room was outside the fort, so that Indians did not have access to inside the fort.

trade goods, cloth, hats blankets

Bo made himself at home on this buffalo hide

His long lost cousin

 

corner bastion overlooking the Missouri River

buffalo hide covered the closure to the gun hole

Us observing the lookout

By now the day was getting very hot, 99*.  We headed south going  back and forth between North Dakota and Montana.  We soon entered the Badlands. 

Bo made a friend

Buffalo, look closely on the left and you will see a buffalo behind the green bush.  he was rubbing on it pretty hard

We stopped at the Theodore Roosevelt National Park.  The short drive introduced us to the weathered features.  We found Concretions, which were weathered nodules of sandstone.  Some were rather big. 

On the drive in we saw a rattle snake curled up in the middle of the road and our first Bison standing on a ledge right next to the road.  We proceeded on passing beautiful vista after vista.  The Little Missouri River runs through the park. 

We continued south skirting the eastern border of the National Grasslands.  It appeared to go on forever.  It does extend for a hundred miles or more.

Finally back on I-94 we were heading west and the setting sun was blinding.  We stopped at the Painted Canyon Visitor Center and were treated to the view of the setting sun on the canyon that made these Badlands come alive. 

We were soon in Montana and could experience this Big Sky country for the first time.  The rolling hills went on forever.  At about 10:00pm we arrived at Glendive and were happy to see Penny’s Diner open for 24 hours.  We had our Dinner at 11:00 and then fell fast asleep.  What a big day.