The Fascinating Town In North Dakota That Is Straight Out Of A Fairy Tale
There is a place in North Dakota where the buffalo actually roam, wild horse herds run free, and the town looks like it jumped right out of the pages of storybook. Where is this? Medora, North Dakota, of course! There is no other town quite like it. With all of its attractions, beautiful scenery, and historic charm, visiting Medora will make you feel like you’ve stepped into a classic western tale.
If you haven’t explored this unique town yet, be sure to put it on your North Dakota bucket list. Here’s why:
This tiny town only has 112 residents, but hundreds more visit it every year.
Medora was founded in 1883 by a Frenchman who named it after his wife. Today, it is one of the most visited places in the entire state of North Dakota. Many pass through while visiting the Theodore Roosevelt National Park, but then they also fall in love with the town itself.
It's not uncommon to see bison and horse herds roaming alongside the roads around Medora.
Much of the land surrounding this town is untouched, allowing North Dakota's famous wild bison and its special wild Nokota horses wander free. They do seem to like to take a stroll on the roads sometimes, so keep a close lookout!
All of the buildings and stores in Medora look like they jumped right out of an old west tale.
From the post office to most all the restaurants, Medora has the perfect dusty western town charm. It makes for a picture perfect day trip you won't find anywhere else. Add on a backdrop of the badlands and you have a truly stunning spot.
Medora has tons of history. From the Marquis de Mores who founded it and his story to all the time Theodore Roosevelt spent here, it would take more than a day to learn about and explore it all. Luckily, there are multiple museums and plenty of historic sites to visit to get a glimpse into this immense past.
There is everything you need and more to enjoy a wonderful stay among all of this.
A whole weekend itinerary could be made for visiting Medora. You can pack it full with stays at the Rough Riders Hotel - a place where Teddy himself used to stay - plus visits to the national park, breaks at delicious restaurants, strolls down main street, and ending the day with seeing the famous outdoor Medora Musical.
With surroundings as breathtaking as this and a town as charming as it is, a visit to Medora is a definite must do.
If you’ve ever been to Medora before, what did you think? Would you go again? Tell us your story! Be sure to also check out more of North Dakota’s most charming small towns.
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
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Leah moved to North Dakota when she was 12 years old and has traveled from the Red River Valley to the badlands and many places in between. She loves small-town life and currently enjoys living on a small farm in the ND prairie. She's always had a passion for writing and has participated in novel writing challenges such as NaNoWriMo multiple times. Her favorite part about this job is recognizing small businesses that deserve a boost and seeing the positive affect her articles can have on their traffic, especially in rural areas that might have otherwise gone overlooked.
