Before he was president… before he was a Rough Rider… Theodore Roosevelt was a sickly kid struggling to breathe.

Then he came to the Badlands.

In this episode of Parkography, we explore how the rugged landscapes of Theodore Roosevelt National Park transformed Roosevelt’s life—and ultimately helped shape the future of conservation in America.

From cattle ranching along the Little Missouri River to devastating personal loss, this is the story of how one wild place forged one of the most influential presidents in U.S. history.

This week in national park news: The National Park Service reports 323 million recreation visits in 2025 (down 2.7% from 2024), Mount Rushmore will host fireworks for the U.S. 250th anniversary amid ongoing regional wildfire concerns. A new CBP map no longer shows a primary border wall through Big Bend, instead labeling the area as detection technology, while Big Bend’s Chisos Basin will close starting May 1 for up to two years for lodge replacement and water infrastructure work. Lawmakers introduce the Save Our Sequoias Act to fund reforestation, monitoring, and forest management after major tree losses, and Indiana will add all-terrain track chairs to every state park at no cost.

00:00 Big Changes Ahead 00:34 2025 Park Visitation Report 02:19 Mount Rushmore Fireworks Return 04:08 Big Bend Border Wall Update 05:41 Chisos Basin Two-Year Closure 07:03 Save Our Sequoias Act 08:47 Indiana Parks Accessibility Upgrade 09:46 Wrap Up And Thanks

Mount Rushmore is one of the most famous monuments in the United States. Nearly everyone can recognize the towering faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln carved into the granite of the Black Hills of South Dakota.

But the real story behind Mount Rushmore is far more complicated—and far more fascinating—than most people realize.

In this episode of Parkography, we explore the surprising history behind America’s most recognizable monument. From the unlikely idea of South Dakota historian Doane Robinson, to the larger-than-life and controversial sculptor Gutzon Borglum, to the hundreds of workers who risked their lives carving the mountain with dynamite and hand tools during the Great Depression.