Theodore Roosevelt National Park
North Dakota
May 2015
There are four trails I wish to do today, each under three miles in length. My first two hikes go swimmingly. It is during the third hike, on the Jones Creek Trail in Theodore Roosevelt National Park, that I run into an impediment.
I hadn’t intended to end my hike prematurely but you play the hand you’ve been dealt. Sometimes that hand says, get the hell out of here.
Part of being safe on the trail is making some good decisions about your hike. For instance, if there is nothing ahead but a shear cliff, it is prudent to reverse course and go back, or at least turn sideways. Animals must be considered carefully in the backcountry too. I’ve seen pigs, armadillos, snakes, porcupines, alligators, horses, swarms of wasps, woodpeckers, elk, javelinas, bear, roadrunner, deer and even an otter. General hiking smarts tells us how to handle each sighting; you can get close to this animal but keep your distance from that one. This one may be a lethal danger, that one is safe as a kitten.
I’ve also seen kittens on the trail.
Today, almost a mile in on this hike, I round a small butte and just about stumble upon… a bison. A bison of considerable size, oh, 1400 pounds, I would guess. A living creature that weighs more than some automobiles and is the size of a small motel. This is a first for me.
Driving yesterday on Scenic Loop Drive not too far from Prairie Dog Town showed me a herd of bison in the distance, but this one is close enough to comb his hair.
In all my hiking miles, I suppose I have been overdue for a bison encounter. I’m happy about this one but also I’m thinking about how ornery bison can be. In this case, hiker wisdom tells me that if you get a reaction from a bison, you’re just too darn close.
I’m not sure but I think he winked at me. I’m outta here!