BLACK HILLS & BADLANDS REGION Badlands National Park THERE’S TONS OF GOOD IN BADLANDS NATIONAL PARK Enter the otherworldly landscape where sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles and spires blend together with the largest protected mixed grass prairie in the U.S. Ready to deepen your appreciation of the very essence of nature? Take a drive through the Badlands of South Dakota. 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. It is a land close to the sun, replete with some of nature’s most stunning forms. The more than 160 square miles of indescribable beauty, known as the Badlands, has been designated as part of our national park system. Even after you enter the gateway to Badlands National Park , the monotonous grasslands of the High Plains seem to continue. Stop at the fi st scenic overlook you encounter and get out of your car. In a matter of inches, the ocean of prairie transforms into a vast and jumbled wilderness of impenetrable Badlands. 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 the Park’s zero light pollution and take pictures of the nighttime sky, an endless sea of stars. The 120 // #DiscoverBlackHills annual Badlands Astronomy Festival celebrates the beauty of a dark night sky and the wonder of space exploration, July 5 to 7, 2019. The Badlands are ideally viewed early or late in the day when deep shadows define their forms. A fresh rain reveals amazing colors. At fi st, neither eye nor mind can comprehend the landscape because the visual images are entirely foreign to any past experiences. 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, is one of the most heavily used of all park facilities and gives visitors a glimpse into the park’s distant past. Note, there is no potable water to be found in the Badlands, so make sure you carry enough in with you. A hat, sunscreen and rain gear are also strongly encouraged in case of changing weather. Horseback riding is also permitted in Badlands National Park.
South Dakota Vacation Guide South Dakota Vacation Guide 2019: Page 120
