Tennis-ball-sized hail, 100-degree heat, and a weather warning that caused us to miss the glamping trip we’d been looking forward to for weeks. We (almost) risked it all to make the grand opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library.

In this episode, we're sharing everything we experienced at the brand-new library in Medora, North Dakota. This is a bit different than our usual content, but if you love Teddy Roosevelt as much as we do, and you’ve been keeping up with our Theodore Roosevelt National Park episodes, you’re in for a treat!

• Why we headed to Medora, North Dakota for the Library's July 4th weekend grand opening
• The wild weather (including 60 mph winds and tennis-ball-sized hail) that forced an evacuation of our campground
• A first look inside the library, including how the building itself was designed to blend into the Badlands
• The Man in the Arena exhibit room, where Nick Offerman voices Teddy Roosevelt himself
• The Elkhorn Ranch room and the story of the cabin where Teddy Roosevelt went to heal after devastating loss
• The AI Teddy Roosevelt you can actually talk to, plus the AI photo booth that inserts your whole family into his story
• The 1,776-drone show that closed out the celebration

Don't miss the full show notes packed with all the links we mentioned so you can plan your adventures like a pro: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/theodore-roosevelt-presidential-library-opening/

• Episode 141: Our favorite scenic drive in Theodore Roosevelt National Park and more: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/best-scenic-drives-in-the-national-parks/
• Episode 149: Exploring Theodore Roosevelt National Park: Best Tips + Activities: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/exploring-theodore-roosevelt-national-park-best-tips-activities/
• Episode 150: 5 Fascinating Fun Facts About Theodore Roosevelt National Park: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/5-fascinating-fun-facts-about-theodore-roosevelt-national-park/
• 8 Things You Can't Miss on Your First Visit to Theodore Roosevelt: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/8-things-cant-miss-first-visit-theodore-roosevelt-national-park/
• Master Reservation List: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/list/
• National Park Checklist: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/national-parks-checklist/
• Trip Packing List: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/pack/

This Grand Teton trip report is less about checklists and more about the pull of a place that gets passed down. On this visit, we brought our extended family — parents, siblings, and our four-month-old niece — back to Colter Bay for a summer built around making memories.

During our stay, we adventured to String Lake, saw a rutting buffalo crossing at Elk Ranch Flats, and had a little detour that was unexpected, but proved to be one of the best parts of the trip.

It’s different from our usual trip report, but we can’t think of any better way to spend time at Grand Teton National Park than with the people we love most!

• A rundown of Grand Teton's 2026 construction projects, from the new Moose entrance station to the Taggart Lake and Mormon Row parking lot overhauls
• Why these construction delays will carry into next summer, too
• What makes Grand Teton a multi-generational, legacy park for us
• Our day at String Lake doing nothing but relaxing on the water
• The rutting buffalo sighting at Elk Ranch Flats and the hike to Moose Ponds
• Ash's Jenny Lake "walk of shame" — and the insider timing trick that usually keeps it from happening

Your task for today: Do you have a legacy park — a place your family keeps returning to, generation after generation? Tell us over on the @DirtInMyShoes Facebook or Instagram page. If you don't have one yet, let us know which park you want to claim as yours!

Don't miss the full show notes packed with all the links we mentioned so you can plan your adventures like a pro: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/grand-teton-trip-report/

• Grand Teton Itinerary: https://shop.dirtinmyshoes.com/products/grand-teton-itinerary
• The Ultimate Grand Teton Trip Planning Guide: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/grand-teton-national-park/
• Master Reservation List: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/list/
• National Park Checklist: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/national-parks-checklist/
• Trip Packing List: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/pack/

Theodore Roosevelt National Park — it’s one of those national parks that doesn’t quite get the recognition it deserves. But today, we’re fixing that!

As the show title suggests, we’re taking you around the churned-up, colorful labyrinth of buttes in the quiet North Dakota prairie to share some of our favorite fun facts about Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

• Why Theodore Roosevelt National Park was the only unit ever designated a "National Memorial Park"
• The real story behind how the teddy bear got its name (yes, it has everything to do with Teddy Roosevelt!)
• How glaciers, ancient volcanoes, and the Little Missouri River spent 65 million years carving North Dakota's Badlands
• The devastating winter of 1886 that wiped out Roosevelt's cattle herd and changed the direction of his life
• Why Roosevelt called this land "the romance of my life" and how it helped him grieve and heal
• The last-minute "Midnight Forests" scramble that protected 16 million acres of land before Congress could stop him
• Just how much land Roosevelt protected by the end of his presidency

Your task for today: In the episode, we talked about the full list of lands Roosevelt protected through executive action. See if a forest, monument, or refuge near you made the cut, and tell us about it over on the @DirtInMyShoes Facebook or Instagram page!

Don't miss the full show notes packed with all the links we mentioned so you can plan your adventures like a pro: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/5-fascinating-fun-facts-about-theodore-roosevelt-national-park/

Planning Your Own Theodore Roosevelt National Park Adventure?

• 8 Things You Can’t Miss On Your First Visit to Theodore Roosevelt: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/8-things-cant-miss-first-visit-theodore-roosevelt-national-park/
• Episode 149: Exploring Theodore Roosevelt National Park: Best Tips + Activites: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/exploring-theodore-roosevelt-national-park-best-tips-activities/
• Master Reservation List: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/list/
• National Parks Checklist: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/national-parks-checklist/
• Trip Packing List: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/pack/