Sunday September 21st, 2025 - Fall trip to oregon - Day 10, Driving from Williston ND to Hill City SD, hiking at Theodore Roosevelt NP North Unit on the Caprock Coulee Loop - 4.9 miles, 500 feet elevation gain
We were up very late last night and we had to do laundry at the hotel before we could head out so it was about 80 degrees when we arrived at the trailhead after driving south about 60 miles on US-85. The sun was very intense and I couldn't find my sunscreen this morning so I used a hand towel from our hiking backpack as a cover for my ears and neck as best as I could. We bought a big jug of water but should have had a third 'spare' water to supplement our ever present 27 ounce metal bottles. We had to be very judicious with our water consumption throughout this hike. Low humidity and a cooling breeze made the temperature and intense sun more comfortable but it was still a little rough for me for the first 2 miles. We chose to start the trail by crossing the scenic road immediately and doing the loop in that direction. The trail worked its way up into a few of the many buttes found along the 16 mile scenic road that goes through the North Unit of the park. T...