Badlands National Park

On the afternoon of the 28th of June we visited the Badlands National Park on the plains of South Dakota.

The accessible portion of the National Park runs east to west just south of Interstate 90 on the edge of the great plains and skirts the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

There is another section of the park to the south and west that is totally within the reservation and only accessible on foot or horseback.

The lush green grasses of late June are in stark contrast with the sharp rocks and deep crevasses.


It is not hard to understand why Native Americans called it the Badlands.

 Standing at the eastern end and looking westward, the "Badlands" appear to continue as far as the eye can see.


However, not all is barren rock.  

 Although we did not see many, the park literature indicates that Mule Deer, Bighorn Sheep, Mountain Goats, American Bison, Prairie Dogs, Swift Foxes, Coyotes, Black-footed Ferrets, Bobcats, numerous species of native birds as well as Prairie Rattlesnakes abound. 

It is understandable why the settlers, during the western expansion, before the rail roads went to the south of this area.  It would be impossible to cross any of these in a covered wagon.

A pleasant stretch of beautiful grassland can be surrounded by deep ravines and sharp rocks.



Crevasses like this abound.

  






We found the Badlands absolutely beautiful, but could fully understand why they should have been avoided in earlier times.


This is a park I would like to revisit.