- Madi Lee is a 24-year-old who moved to the tiny town of Medora, North Dakota, after college.
- The year-round population of Medora is less than 150 but the town explodes with tourists in summer.
- Lee said she loves the tight-knit community in Medora and accessibility to nearby nature.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Madi Lee, 24, about her experience living and working in Medora, North Dakota — a summer tourist town with a year-round population of less than 150 people. Lee said the remoteness of Medora can be challenging at times, especially during the winter, but she loves the tight-knit community and nearby nature.
Medora, North Dakota, has always been one of my favorite places. As a kid, I visited a few times on family trips and had such a good time. It's a unique place, located in the North Dakota Badlands at the entrance of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. It's a historic little town with lots of Teddy Roosevelt history.
When I was in college at the University of Minnesota Duluth, I spent my summers working for the Theodore Roosevelt Foundation in Medora as a seasonal employee. After graduating in spring 2022, I came back to Medora for the summer and started inquiring about full-time positions.
The year-round population of Medora is somewhere between 100 and 150 people. It's really small. But in the summer, the town explodes. We have thousands and thousands of people come through Medora to get to the national park.
Our main business is tourism and hospitality. The town has a main attraction called the Medora Musical, which happens every night during the summer and has been going on since 1965. It's a good ole' American West-type show in an outdoor amphitheater built into the natural landscape, comparable to a smaller version of Red Rocks. I work as a ticketing and reservations manager for the foundation.
We have the best combination of natural beauty, history, and great people. Those three things make Medora a really special place.
There can be challenges during the winter
We don't have a grocery store in town; we just have a small gas station. They have the basics, but I have to drive 35 minutes to Dickinson, which is the closest large town, every time I need groceries. That can be challenging in the winter, given the weather. You have to be prepared if they close the interstate because of snow.
A year ago, we had a really intense, snowy winter. We were snowed in for a good portion of the season. The climate of Medora is nothing new to me, having come from Northern Minnesota, but what was new to me was being cut off from getting groceries or filling up my gas tank.
We definitely depend on each other in those times and help each other out. The fact that it's such a small town means it's a very tight-knit community.
The housing situation in Medora is another challenging aspect. There's pretty much no housing in town outside what my company owns. When I first became a full-time employee, there wasn't any housing available, so I ended up living in a dorm for a short period. Then, I moved into a small apartment that didn't have a full kitchen, so I had to depend on a hot plate and sink, which was challenging during that first winter.
Thankfully, my company built a new apartment building, which opened last June, and I was able to move into that. It's a really nice brand-new building.
I pay $850 a month for a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment. Since it's owned by the foundation, we don't have to pay for utilities other than WiFi.
A lot of my co-workers live in the same building, which I think is a positive thing because it's a really supportive community. Our employee base is very young. Quite a few of us are all around the same age, which is definitely a plus. It almost feels like a college setting.
We have to get creative during the winters
There are only two restaurants in Medora that are open year-round. There's not a whole lot to do in the winter other than outdoor activities, so having a few good friends around my age really helps because we end up hanging out together.
The winter is actually one of my favorite times to go into the national park because of the lack of tourists. The wildlife seems a lot more active during the winter, too. We often go into the park at nighttime. If the stars are out, it's an absolutely incredible place to stargaze. We've even managed to see the Northern Lights a few times, which are spectacular.
But my favorite part of Medora is the summer. I just love the people. It's so fun to work in tourism. It's almost like a small-scale version of Disneyland because everyone who comes through town is having an exciting day of vacation. A lot of people are experiencing the Badlands for the first time, and everyone's so happy. I love experiencing that with them and being able to help make that happen for them.
The atmosphere is just the best. I definitely see myself staying in Medora for the foreseeable future.