Travel, Badlands National Park

The summer before last me and my friend went on an amazing roadtrip spanning two weeks and nearly every state west of Michigan. We saw the Grand Canyon, the Seattle Space Needle, Yellowstone National Park, the Redwoods, etc.  One of my favorite things from the trip was Badlands National Park near Wall, South Dakota.  We visited on a very hot day in August, it was definitely hotter than 80 out.  We drove my little 2002 Volkswagen Golf TDI through the park and stopped for picture and hiking opportunities whenever something grabbed our interest.  The park is a vast collection of clay and rock formations that never seem to repeat.

Of course being inquisitive and adventurous we weren't okay with just staying on the beaten path where all the other tourists were.  We walked out onto some pretty intense peaks, and we surely would've fallen to a very unpleasant death.  But it was worth because we both survived and have great memories and pictures of the park.

One fun fact about the park is the current reintroduction of the black-footed ferret, which is the most endangered land mammal in the United States and North America.  They are really adorable creatures and I urge anyone interested to research what can be done to assist their survival.  Most of them were killed due to prairie dog extermination on prairies and farmland.

Below you'll find some pictures from our trip to Badlands National Park, hopefully it puts this park on your list of things to see.  It certainly is in the middle of no where, but I do recommend stopping at Wall Drug in addition to the Badlands.  Enjoy:)

Me testing fate in Badlands National Park

My friend Jake testing fate on a rock formation in Badlands National Park

Me at Badlands National Park  - August 2010

Rock formations in Badlands National Park - August 2010

View of Badlands National Park in August 2010

Badlands National Park - August 2010