Badlands National Park, SD

Although this was my third visit to Badlands National Park in my lifetime, it was the first time I didn't do it in a rushed manner. As I drove along Badlands Loop Road, I stopped at most of the overlooks and the occasional pullout where viewing the terrain from above and further away was a spectator sport. I also took a more immersive, participative approach by completing 4 trails totaling 6.2 miles within the otherworldly landscape.

Badlands Loop Road

Pinnacles Overlook

Countless Wrinkles

Yellow Mounds Overlook

Awesome Color Transition

Bold Mustard Yellow

Conata Basin Overlook

Transition of Textures
(smooth in the foreground; rougher in the background)

Homestead Overlook

Islands within a Circular Wall

Evokes an Image of Seashells

Burns Basin Overlook

Peaks and Valleys

Nature's Labrynth

Panorama Point Overlook

Broad and Narrow Stripes

Seems Impenetrable

White River Valley Overlook

Badlands Loop Road Passes Through

Big Badlands Overlook

Mounds as Far as the Eyes Can See

Badlands Atoll

Other Unnamed Stops

Horizontal Lines
(almost makes you dizzy)

Badlands Mansion

Jagged Peaks

Hiking Trails

Window Trail

More of a walk than a hike, I went past some rock formations before coming to a gap which provided a view to the badlands beyond.

Rock Formations

Looking Through the Window

Door Trail

Another short trail, this one allowed me to walk on the undulating badlands terrain and through little gullies formed by erosion.

In the Doorway

Canyons

View from a Gully

Cliff Shelf Nature Trail

This short hike was different from the others due to the heavy concentration of juniper trees and the presence of many small birds flitting among the branches.

Path Through the Juniper Trees

Juniper Berries

Rising Above the Trees

Cliff Shelf

Medicine Root & Castle Trail Loop

This hike took me out into the prairie where I saw a mixture of grassland and rock formations. I appreciated seeing an area of the park away from the more popular attractions near the paved road.

Short Mesas

Mounds, Grasses & Trees

Large Edifice

So Many Facets
(as if a sculptor is in mid-project)

Sharp-Tipped Cones

Cityscape on a Distant Planet

A Beautiful Day in the Badlands