The Wild, Wonderful Badlands

It's a good thing my sister loves me.  Why else would she wake up at the crack of dawn and drive her big sis an hour to catch sunrise at the Badlands?

Morning in the Badlands

In early September I made my annual South Dakota trip to visit family.  The Black Hills, my childhood home turf, is full of spectacular sights.  In addition to catching up with my relations, I always try to sneak in a few trips to my favorite haunts.  Sitting on top of this list is Badlands National Park.

A bit of color

Badlands National Park is a wonderland of colorful eroded rock formations.  It boasts steep canyons, towering spires, and expansive grasslands - not to mention the plethora of wildlife that lives in this rugged, desolate corner of southwestern South Dakota.  Morning or evening light on the Badland's sculpted hills creates a photographer's paradise.

This bighorn sheep was right in the parking lot!

My sister has lived in South Dakota most of her life.  So I was surprised to hear her admit she'd never visited the Badlands.  Well....it was time to remedy that!

One of many overlooks

That's why my sis and I found ourselves driving down a darkened highway in the morning's wee hours, destination Badlands National Park.  We didn't quite make sunrise, but low-angle morning light on the first overlook was pure magic.  And bonus, a bighorn sheep was standing right in the parking area!

Solitude

The Badlands were formed by water erosion cutting through layers of sedimentary rock.  The result - craggy hills striped with colorful horizontal bands.  These varying rock layers indicated sediments from different ancient ecosystems - from volcanic eruptions, to large inland seas, to tropical rainforests.  In many of these layers, fossils have been uncovered.  The Badlands are known for their abundance of fossilized mammals.

More color

Geologists estimate erosion began in the Badlands about 500,000 years ago.  Rivers carved fantastic shapes through the rock layers that had once been flat floodplains.  The Badlands are still eroding at a rate of about one inch per year.  Eventually, experts predict that the Badlands will completely erode away (but that won't happen for at least another 500,000 years!)

Road through the park

From the Pinnacles Entrance, Badlands Loop Road winds through the park's North Unit.  There's plentiful parking areas and overlooks to take in the surrounding scenery. 

Yellow mounds

I directed my sis to stop at several of the pull-outs and I emerged with camera in hand.  It was a beautiful morning, and row upon row of sculpted buttes rising from the prairie made for many fabulous images.

Winding creek cuts through the bottom

This year Western South Dakota enjoyed a wetter than average summer, as evidenced by the still-green grasses.  Unusual for early September, the vegetation here is normally dried-up shades of brown by then.

A rainy summer meant green grass in September

Why should you visit the Badlands?  I'll let the images speak for themselves....

Colorful hill

Round hills

Desolation

Castle-like formations

Arid soil

Still not convinced?  How about a good probability of seeing some wildlife?

Bighorn sheep herd

My sister and I came around a bend, and there near the road was a large herd of Bighorn sheep.  The sheep were close enough that I could get decent photos with my 200 mm zoom lens.

Head male sheep guarding the herd

Not only Bighorn sheep, prairie dogs make their homes in the open grasslands.  Several prairie dog towns are located a stone's throw from the main road.  My sis and I stopped at one.  Walking out into the field we could see the little rodents standing atop their mounded holes.  When we got too close, however, one "dog" sounded the alarm, chirping and frantically jumping around until all the nearby prairie dogs leapt into their holes.

Craggy canyons

Visitors also often spot bison, deer, antelope, coyotes, rattlesnakes, elk and porcupine.  Prairie dog towns are also home to the rare black-footed ferret.  Numerous birds can be found swooping through the skies - hawks, falcons, eagles, and my favorite, the western meadowlark.

Tall grass prairie

Standing atop one grassy overlook, the views extended forever.

Classic Badlands

And tall, craggy hills rose from the prairie floor like castles.

More formations in the distance

One nice thing about this National Park, visitors are free to roam wherever they please.  Nothing is off-limits.  At one stop along the park road, my sister and I climbed atop a crumbly hill.  Faint user paths wandered in all directions and I had an amazing view of the main road curving between pointy spires.

Tiny people on top

On the very top was a large grassy plateau.  The main trail wandered through this flat, big-sky landscape, the grass blades blowing in the wind like ocean waves.  Although we could've trekked a couple miles, my sis and I decided to turn around and scramble back down.

Close up of the rock layers

The east end of Badlands Loop Road passes by the Visitor Center before climbing a hill past the final parking area of the Big Badlands Overlook and Window and Door Trails.

A short hike

Multi-colored grass

By now it was nearing noon and the park, mostly free of crowds all morning, suddenly became busy with numerous cars and buses.  The last parking area was full of tourists, cramming the trails and overlooks.  Time for us to make our exit!

Eroded peaks

My sister was happy to finally visit this elusive National Park so close to home.

Bright wildflowers

I think she'll be back.  Maybe even before her big sis visits again next year!

Sister shot!

A great day photographing one of my favorite places and spending quality time with my sister.