Our original plan was to camp in Badlands National Park. We highly underestimated the amount of awesome things we would see on the way, so we ended up only spending the day there. If you are ever in the area and want to camp, there are campground where you can pay a small fee but there is also a primitive campground that is free!
The entrance fee was $25, but it was very well worth it. You could spend days in this park and still not be able to take everything in.
In the park there are not many fenced off areas, so for the most part you can walk or hike where you please…but not without caution.
There were many beware of rattlesnake signs. Actually, after we saw one of these signs we pretty much instantly heard a rattling in the bushes. We didn’t investigate and kept on walking on the designated trail.
We saw bison from a distance, but we also got to see some other wildlife a little closer.
When we started to see prairie dog mounds, I got excited. Then, I saw this sign.
Needless to say, this startled me a bit. As long as you follow these simple rules though, you should most likely not contract the plague.
The Badlands were overall quite amazing. Seeing these natural formations out there in the middle of South Dakota is something I can’t really put into words.
If you are a fan of National Parks, this is definitely a must see. There was no shortage of photo opportunities.
Have you visited the Badlands? What’s your favorite National Park?
–Haley
