The drive to South Dakota from Minnesota was very “typical” at this point if the Midwest. The landscape did become more grassland and dessert like as I approached my destination. Upon arrival to the park I became awestruck by the sudden and dramatic change in the topology. I rounded a bend and looked at a distant drop off that went from beautiful grass to a moon like rock surface or face. I literally almost drove off the road. With each curve in the road the scenery became more intense and dramatic. I felt like I had stepped into another world. I would spend the next three days hiking, taking tons of photographs and trying to dodge the temperature which had risen to nearly one hundred degrees by two in the afternoon.

The scenery and experience was to intense to describe but check out the photos (posted when I have WiFi) to get some perspective of what o am talking about. If you have never been it is a must see!

The weather at the badlands was none like I had experienced. While it was intensely hot, the wind at my spot was whipping. I would describe this as standing in front of a large heater/blower on a very hot day. At night the stars put on a show. The sky was amazing and just laying back and gazing was an amazing experience in itself.

One note, at night the wind became so intense I had to close the windows in my small camper for fear the would tear off. The fiberglass pole tents would flatten over the top of the inhabitants by the velocity of the wind.

It was overall one of the most spectacular and different places I had ever visited