Cottonwood Campground, TRNP–week 1

What a busy two weeks we’ve had so far. We had busy weekends at the other parks, but not consistent like this. We’ve been full every night since we’ve been here. They said it’ll slow down after Labor Day with schools starting by then. But the Medora Musical goes until September 9th, so there will be people just driving through. The campground is open year around, but the water is shut off October 1st. 

You can click on any of the pictures to enlarge them.
     

Some history of Theodore Roosevelt National Park - Within a short time after the death of Theodore Roosevelt on January 6, 1919, there were proposals to establish a memorial in his honor. Options including a state part, national grasslands, national memorial, and many more and finally on April 25, 1947, after several compromises, President Truman signed the bill that created Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park. This included lands that roughly make up the South Unit and the Elkhorn Ranch today. The North Unit was added to the memorial park on June 12, 1948. Additional boundary revisions were made in later years.

     

As a memorial park, it was the only one of its kind in the National Park System. Eventually, in addition to a connection with a president, the land was recognized for its diverse cultural and natural resources. On November 10, 1978, the area was given national park status when President Carter signed Public Law 95-625 that changed the memorial park to Theodore Roosevelt National Park. This same law placed 29,920 acres of the park under the National Wilderness Preservation System.

              

We have deer, bison and horses go through the campground.