MEDORA – In tribute to Theodore Roosevelt and the legendary Rough Riders, the Sully Creek State Park will officially become Rough Rider State Park, the North Dakota Parks & Recreation Department announced, according to a news release.

This announcement coincides with the 166th birthday of President Theodore Roosevelt.

Among the First U.S. Volunteer Cavalry “Rough Riders” organized by Roosevelt and Leonard Wood to fight in the Spanish-American War were several North Dakotans, including Jesse Langdon, who was the oldest surviving Rough Rider when he died at age 94 in 1975. “The Rough Rider State” also has been one of North Dakota’s unofficial nicknames for more than 50 years.

Nestled along the scenic banks of the Little Missouri River, just two miles south of Medora, Rough Rider State Park is a premier destination for horse enthusiasts, with a trailhead connection to the Maah Daah Hey Trail.

With a $4 million investment, Rough Rider State Park is set to nearly double its camping capacity, bringing the total to 70 campsites, along with additional amenities. The investment is part of a larger funding package for statewide park improvements proposed by Gov. Doug Burgum and approved by the North Dakota Legislature.

“We are so incredibly grateful to the Legislature for making this investment possible, as it will be the most significant infrastructure upgrade in the over 50-year history of the park. And we are proud to work with great partners like the Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation, Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Billings County, Medora, and many others – who all embody a great love of the outdoors and western culture,” said Cody Schulz, director of the N.D. Parks & Recreation Department.