2019-12-20 05:40:31
THERE’S TONS OF GOOD IN Enter the otherworldly landscape where sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles and spires blend together with the largest protected mixed grass prairie in the U.S. Deepen your appreciation of the very essence of nature by taking a drive through Badlands National Park. It is desolation at its purest, where you can look for miles and see no sign of civilization. Disconcerting, maybe, but the meadowlark piping in the cool morning air and the darting pronghorns seem company enough. There are no obstructions to mar the horizon and the land unfolds until it meets the sky. The more than 160 square miles of indescribable beauty, known as the Badlands, has been designated as part of our national park system since 1939. BISON After the historic release of bison to the expanded northern unit of the park in 2019, the herd of 1,200 can be easily spotted in the 22,000 acre area. Don’t miss a chance to stop and see these two-ton beasts roaming this unit for the first time since 1877. PHOTOGRAPHY As you make your way through the park, keep your camera handy for wildlife sightings that may include bison, bighorn sheep and prairie dogs. Take advantage of zero light pollution in the Park and take pictures of the nighttime sky, an endless sea of stars. The annual Badlands Astronomy Festival celebrates the beauty of a dark night sky and the wonder of space exploration, Aug. 14 to 16, 2020. ATTRACTIONS The Badlands are ideally viewed early or late in the day when deep shadows define their forms. A fresh rain reveals amazing colors. At first, neither eye nor mind can comprehend the landscape. To get a birds-eye view of the park, and unparalleled photos, book an exhilarating aerial tour with Badlands Helicopters. Experience a combination of art and history that tells the story of Lakota culture at the Oglala Lakota Living History Village, coming in 2020. To take photos in pioneer clothing and see a real sod house for a homesteader experience, stop by at the Prairie Homestead, a historic site at Exit 131 off of I-90. HIKING If you are thoroughly smitten by the Badlands, hike the Saddle Pass Trail or the Castle Trail. The Fossil Exhibit Trail, a National Scenic Trail, gives visitors a glimpse into the park’s distant past. There is no potable water to be found in the Badlands, so be sure to carry enough with you. A hat, sunscreen and rain gear are strongly encouraged. Horseback riding is also permitted in Badlands National Park. FOSSIL BEDS Badlands National Park preserves the world’s most significant fossil beds of animals from the Oligocene Epoch of the Age of Mammals. Fossil collecting by visitors became illegal when the area gained its national park status in 1939. Prehistoric bones are still being uncovered by park officials, many of which are first reported by park visitors. If you do spot something that looks like a fossil, examine it as much as you want, but leave it as you found it and report it to a ranger at the Ben Reifel Visitor Center at Cedar Pass. VISITOR CENTER At the Ben Reifel Visitor Center, you can sit back and relax in the 100-seat theater to watch an impressive 22-minute film. Many of the kid-friendly educational exhibits feature interactive components with increasingly difficult skill levels. While there, stop and shop at the Badlands Natural History Association gift shop. BADLANDS LOOP ROAD U.S. Hwy 240, or the Badlands Loop Road, is a State Scenic Byway. Anchoring Badlands Loop Road at its intersections with I-90 are the towns of Wall, at Exit 110, and Kadoka, at Exit 150, each of which are less than 20 miles away from Exit 131. The town of Interior is located just 1 mile south of the visitor center. Each city has a variety of motels, restaurants and service stations, along with small-town main streets. SAGE CREEK WILDERNESS AREA Take your adventure to new heights and head out into the 64,000- acre Sage Creek Wilderness Area. You may hike just about anywhere in the park, but you must keep your vehicle on the road and leave rocks, animals and plants as you found them. The marvels of Badlands topography are not the region’s only claim to fame. It is likely that you will see eagles and turkey vultures, deer and antelope and, sometimes, a wily coyote. Always keep a safe distance from animals and do not approach them. On the western end of the park, Sage Creek Road leads you into the midst of the biggest prairie dog town you’ve ever seen. In the basin, you can usually spot bison, too. SOUTH UNIT Since 1976, the National Park Service and the Oglala Sioux Tribe have partnered in managing Badlands National Park. Plans are in place to establish the park’s South Unit as the nation’s first tribal national park. More information about the South Unit is available to visitors during the summer season at the White River Visitor Center, located 20 miles south of Scenic on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. For more information, call 605-455-2878.
©South-Dakota. View All Articles.