Forest Service Road #840 (#833) wanders east into the badlands of western North Dakota's Little Missouri National Grassland, with the north unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park barely visible on the horizon. This is truly "the middle of nowhere".
I was finally able to get out yesterday evening (5-21-2024) after nearly a month of not shooting, thanks to poor weather/light and/or work. While the rest of the US has been enjoying spring for quite some time, it's always slow to arrive here in western North Dakota and it's always a welcome sight. I ventured down to the Little Missouri National Grassland yet again and explored quite a bit further after shooting some more birds around the pond from my last visit, which is rapidly evaporating in spite of recent rains.
With the LMNG topo/road map near at hand, I set out along what begins as a relatively decent road that wanders off to the east. 840 turns into 833 at some point and ultimately appeared to allow one to drive through to Red Wing Road near the Little Missouri River... Looks great on paper! I tested the limits of my old GMC 2WD Envoy, I must admit, for it soon turned to rather rugged two-track with all sorts of places to get high-centered and/or smash an oil pan. I finally reached a dry wash that had washed out too badly to traverse and had to turn around a mile or so shy of my goal, for even the average 4WD would have been in over its head at that point.
Wise? Hmm... The jury's still out. There's no cell signal at all in much of the region, so I would have had a loooong hike out to obtain service. I explore a lot of places such as this, though, and it was certainly worthwhile, for wildlife was abundant. Pronghorn antelope, mule deer, grouse and a variety of other birds were all about. Best advice? Don't count on electronics in such areas (great as backup but paper simply won't turn off) and know when to say when. Be prepared to spend the night if the worst happens, too, for in regions such as this, being prepared can reduce risks immensely.
Tags: Alexander McKenzie County North Dakota ND Little Missouri National Grassland Dakota Prairie Grasslands US Forest Service USFS landscape sky skies clouds golden hour remote spring two-track FS Road #840 FS Road #833 badlands sage brush vista long shadows United States
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Mad River Trail-Okanogan/Wenatchee National Forest-Washington State
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But they don't last Long
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A lone cypress stands resilient amidst the rolling hills, whispering tales of time and tranquility
Even the flowers are trying to outshine the famous Tuscan cypressess on their runway farmhouse chic!
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