Medora's Musical , Other Shows & Outdoor Sports

North Dakota Badlands Attractions Make it State's #1 Tourist Spot

Apr 30, 2009 Connie Emerson

Scenery, shopping and museum-hopping aren't the Medora/Badlands area's only attractions. Top-drawer entertainment and unique outdoor sports bring visitors, too.

Live entertainment and a wide range of outdoor activities are among the reasons that the Medora/Badlands area is North Dakota’s number one tourist destination. The Musical and Medora’s afternoon shows are professionally performed. The outdoor activities are, because of their Badlands setting, unlike those in other locales.

Afternoon Shows Offer Play and Comedy Acts

Taken from a Broadway play with the same name, Bully gives its audience an entertaining glimpse into Theodore Roosevelt’s life. The 45-minute play derives its name from Roosevelt’s nickname for the presidency as a “bully pulpit” (British slang for wonderful agenda platform). Old Town Hall Theater, $9.30, adults; 4 p.m. daily, early June to early September)

For more than 20 years, the 4-M Review has entertained audiences with a vaudeville-style show featuring the Magician Mayor and King of Rock ‘n Roll, Mylo Hatzenbuhler (Old Town Hall Theater, $9.30, adults; Saturdays and Sundays at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., early June through Labor Day)

Medora Musical Offers Entertainment in Outdoor Setting

The Medora Musical, presented every night from early June to early September in the 2,500-seat Burning Hills Amphitheater, Now in it’s 45th year, each year’s show is somewhat different from the last with frequent changes in the stage sets and costuming. The show features a talented cast of singers and dancers from across the United States called the Burning Hills Singers and Cloggers.

Music is a mix of country, gospel, western and patriotic tunes. There’s a live band, called the Coal Diggers on stage (and at times, live horses as well). Each performance includes one of the nationally known variety acts selected for the season as well as historic tributes dedicated to Theodore Roosevelt. Dates for 2009 are from early June through Labor Day, with performances beginning every evening at 8:30 p.m. ($29.25 - $33.25, adults).

The Medora Musical "Behind the Scenes" tour is a forty-five minute guided tour of the scenic Burning Hills Amphitheatre. Stops along the way include the lighting and sound control areas, the stage, and the backstage areas ($5.58. adults; 7 p.m. nightly).

Located at the entrance to the Burning Hills Amphitheatre, Medora MusicalWelcome Center & Store handles official Medora Musical merchandise. Clothing, souvenirs, blankets, cowboy hats, and novelties are among the items for sale (5 p.m. to 11 p.m.)

The Pitchfork Fondue, held before the performance in the picnic area next to the amphitheater, features breathtaking views of the countryside and rib-eye or New York strip steaks, skewered on pitchforks and plunged into chest-high fondue pots of boiling oil along with baked potatoes, baked beans, cole slaw, fresh fruits and vegetables, garlic toast, double chocolate brownies, lemonade, coffee, and water. ($21.50 - $25.50).

Outdoor Sports at Bully Pulpit Golf Course and on Little Missouri River

About three miles south of town, the 18-hole, 7300-yard Bully Pulpit Golf Course conforms to the Badlands landscape. The course is situated along the Little Missouri River, where Gen. George Armstrong Custer camped in 1876 on his way to his last stand at the Little Bighorn in Montana. Scenery along the back nine is most spectacular, but each hole on the course presents a different challenge. It is the first course in North Dakota to be named to the top spot in Golf Digest’s annual New Affordable Courses ranking. The course, which consistently receives four to five star ratings in golf magazines, was designed by Michael Hurdzan. Green fees range from $75 to $79.

Another popular sport is canoeing on the Little Missouri, North Dakota’s only state scenic river. The river winds through the North and South Units of Theodore Roosevelt National Park (TRNP), and passes the site where Theodore Roosevelt built his log cabin in 1884. When seen from water level, the park’s striated formations in the park seem even more spectacular then from higher elevations. The 274-mile Little Missouri has a variable canoeing season, depending on runoff. The most reliable time is in the spring. Several access points near the town of Medora and the South Unit of TRNP allow day trips from one to six hours. The longest day trip begins at at Sully Creek State Park and goes to the Cottonwood Campground in the South Unit.

Hiking, biking, horseback riding and nature tours in Theodore Roosevelt National Park offer myriad other opportunities to experience the Badlands. Visitors who haven’t brought outdoor equipment with them will find that several outfitters operate out of both Medora and the park.

The copyright of the article Medora's Musical , Other Shows & Outdoor Sports in NE U.S. Travel is owned by Connie Emerson. Permission to republish Medora's Musical , Other Shows & Outdoor Sports in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Fireworks finale of the Medora Musical

Pitchfork Fondue is a popular pre-show dinner.