We spent our first full day exploring the north unit along the 28 mile scenic drive. It’s 14 miles out and then you have to return the same way. We enjoyed lunch with a view at the River Bend Overlook.
We found this lizard chillin' in the crevice next to the covered structure where we are.
One of the trails from here was very overgrown with patches of poison ivy, so we quickly decided to turn back and hike somewhere else.
This section of the US is mixed-grass prairie and the roots are much deeper than you'd expect. This allows the plants to withstand stressful conditions like drought and fire, storing energy for when conditions improve.
The very end of the drive stops at Oxbow Overlook, a beautiful spot.
We took the Achenbach Trail to Sperati Point, a 2 mile hike thru grasslands and yes, even more poison ivy, but it was worth the sweeping views of the Little Missouri River. You definitely want to wear long pants and actual shoes here to protect yourself from the poison ivy.
Daddy taking a cool photo of Journey with her "sunbrella".
Cannonball concretions are an interesting geological feature found here, formed by sand becoming cemented together by minerals dissolved in groundwater.
Back at our campsite, we took a brief rest before Journey and I went for a birding walk along the Little Mo Nature trail just outside our campground. We found quite a few interesting birds, but the hike was cut short as part of the trail had collapsed into the river.
Next is Theodore Roosevelt's south unit!
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