Badlands National Park, South Dakota

Our next must stop at while we are on the road heading west in South Dakota is Badlands National Park. Actually we not only go through Badlands National Park heading to the Black Hills but also heading home. We do stop at other places along the way but they depend on if we feel like stopping there that day.

The Badlands are one of those places that show how awesome nature is and how unimportant man really is.


It is one of those places where photos can not do justice. The can bring out all the color and the majesty of the place.



The formations are not just awesome shapes but are also full of color and wildlife and you feel the need to explore these wonders not just by seeing them from the window of your car or at a pull off but to get out and explore by taking the trails and exploring the formations. Yes you are allowed to get out and explore just remember to take water with you because there is no water on the trails. Below are pictures of Randy and Jeffery on a couple of the formations off the Door Trail.



But not everything is on the large scale or barren there is lots of wildlife. To see it you have to keep your eyes open, don't rush or forget to look on both sides of the roads and trails or you will miss it. Some of the common animals are Prairie dogs, Burrowing owls, Mountain Sheep, Buffalo, etc.





While we have visited the Badlands many times over the years all the pictures are from our 2009 visit. The neat thing about the Badlands is that it is ever changing so each time we visit there is something new to explore.