700 miles today driving from Minneapolis to Miles City, MT. North Dakota is a long state.

I put most of the driving early, not getting to Teddy Roosevelt National Park until late afternoon. It was starkly beautiful with vibrant reds, sparse vegetation, and dark skies:

I was very thankful for the 1 mile long loop through Painted Canyon. It included a wonderful overlook that was a breath of fresh air, giving me pause and perspective as I am largely confined to the small driving space of my car:

Some of the hike was difficult, not for terrain, but because of soil. Earlier rain had turned the clayey soil into gumbo that layered onto the soles of my shoes and slipped out from underneath me as I walked:

Despite the slick trail, it was well worth the walk both for the time off from the drive and opportunity to check out the Badlands up close and personal:

Tomorrow's goal is Coeur D'Alene, ID. No planned stop yet. I'm going to call some folks in MT to see if they are around and up for lunch or early dinner. If not, then I'll look to get to Coeur D'Alene early and check out the city and surrounding woods.

Ice cream dessert goes to whomever identifies what liquor is made from berries of the tree in the last photo of this post.