Wild Horses at the Theodore Roosevelt National Park

(from the Washington Post 1-5-2024 edited)

Wild horses were roaming the North Dakota Badlands long before Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park was established near Medora in 1947. About 200 wild horses remain, though that could soon change if the National Park Service gets its way. The park, now known as Theodore Roosevelt National Park, announced plans to thin or eliminate the herd of wild horses in 2022.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park is a tribute to Theodore Roosevelt, the “conservation president,” and his time in North Dakota. We know from his writings that wild horses were part of his experience in the Badlands. Some of the horses might be traced back to Sitting Bull’s war ponies from when he surrendered in 1881 at Fort Buford. The latest public comment period ended in November. Park Superintendent Angie Richman has said a decision on thinning or eliminating the herd will come by the end of 2024.

(Our photos taken on our visit in August of 2015.)