On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
frosty
We started our eastbound trek heading out from Oregon with a stop planned at Rapid City to see the two National Parks in South Dakota: Badlands and Wind Cave. The route we planned would take us north through Montana with stops at Lewis and Clark State Park and Billings, among others. I finally got around to checking the RV.Net Open Roads Forum for the route and found out the first part was nicknamed “The Rattlesnake” Two lane, curves, the grades weren’t too bad, but we’re done with having cars stacked up behind us so we opted for I-84 to I-80 to I-90. Dull, but easy driving.
Five days of driving, we stayed at KOAs almost every night. Some were good, some (Rock Springs and Casper, Wyoming) were a sea of dusty gravel. Every one had the signature KOA sound of the interstate right next door. However, they’re clean, maintained, and you know what you’re getting.
Our day at Badlands followed the route from the National Geographic Scenic Highways and Byways book: WY 44 from Rapid City to the Visitor Center, Badlands Scenic Loop (WY 240), then the Sage Creek Rim Road. The Badlands are a somewhat unconsolidated sedimentary formation underlying the prairie that is being rapidly eroded. The erosion started 500,000 years ago and in another 500,000 years it will all be gone.
The landscapes were impressive, but we enjoyed seeing the wildlife even more: Bison, Prairie Dogs, and Pronghorns.
This was our first look at the badland formations, at the Visitor Center.
We saw a few of these “little mesas” with prairie grass on top that hadn’t been eroded away yet. There were more along WY44 than in the park, here.
Badlands formation.
At this overlook it looked to me like all the erosion we were seeing was headcuts coming up from the White River in a valley to the left.
More “little mesas”
The Yellow Mounds overlook. This is one of the lower formations.
Some of the residents of Roberts Prairie Dog Town (yes, that’s what it’s called!) next to Sage Creek Rim Road.
It was more like a prairie dog megalopolis!
Prairie dog sentinel
Bison
Baud
Cool. I’ve always wanted to see the Badlands. The name sells itself. And bison!
Winter Wren
Nice photos! The Badlands vistas are great and the animals are iconic. Makes me want to visit again.
OzarkHillbilly
I was in the Badlands for 2 days a couple years ago when my son climbed Devil’s Tower. Not near enough time.
Manyakitty
Love the pics! Thank you!
eclare
Fascinating.
Doug
@OzarkHillbilly:
“Play the five tones.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZj7gUIO-2k
BretH
I’ll bet there were amazing stars at night!
CaseyL
Great pictures – thank you for sharing them.
The Badlands are one of the places on my bucket list. Have been fascinated by them for years.
I’ve heard Wyoming is windy as hell. Was it noticeable where you were?
Betty
Fascinating landscape. But I can’t see pictures of prairie dogs now without being reminded of Senator Thune saying he needed an AR-15 to shoot them. Ugh!
pieceofpeace
I visited the Badlands long ago. They leave an impression, and I know of no other place that’s a unique blend of beauty amidst bare, stark , kinda ominous landscape. Like something’s in the air, but perhaps it’s the name that instills the expectant feeling.
Torrey
Terrific pictures! Thank you! (The Badlands are also on my bucket list.)
Miss Bianca
@Baud: I’ve only ever driven by the Badlands and have always wanted to go explore them.
Xavier
KOAs? Eh, they’re reliable private parks, but we prefer public parks (everything from municipal and county to state and national, including Forest Service, BLM and the like). They are invariably more spaced out and in nicer locations, not to mention generally cheaper.
frosty
@Xavier: Agreed. We prefer public parks too but sometimes there isn’t one where we want to stop. We use RVParky to find places. The reviews from there, Google Maps, and Campendium are helpful. My take on KOA is that it’s not great but it’s almost guaranteed to not be terrible. OK for an overnight.
frosty
@CaseyL: Wyoming was about two years ago and I don’t remember high winds when we were there. No dust storms in the campground and no unusual trailer swaying on the highway.
The Spring blizzard in ABQ with 50 mph gusts rocking the trailer overnight- I remember that one!!
Van Buren
I was last there in 2012. I have photo of my son standing next to a sign warning that Prarie dogs carried bubonic plague.
Around sunset, a thunderstorm came through the campground and destroyed our tent. Would happily return.
dnfree
We visited the Badlands with our children in 1988. When we drove in, my husband was repulsed by the desolation and didn’t want to stay. By the time we’d stayed two nights, with ranger-led hikes, he was reluctant to leave. You are right that the animals are a good part of the attraction.
StringOnAStick
@frosty: Next time you’re in WY and on I-80 be sure to go look at Vedawoo, I think it’s a state park. We rock climbed the very crystalline granite when I lived in Fort Collins, very cool looking area.
billcinsd
Did you go to the Minuteman Missile Silo National Historic Site. It is on I-90 near one of the Badlands entrances. With planning you get a tour of the silo
https://www.nps.gov/mimi/index.htm
frosty
@billcinsd:
We missed that. There’s only so much time!!!