Badlands National Park
Badlands National Park - Erosion of the land leads to majestic, beautiful terrain - almost impassable!
The Badlands National Park Is a must see on one of your sightseeing adventures. It is located in the Southwest corner of South Dakota. This is a rough, but beautiful land.
Where did the name come from? The Lakota called the area Makhosica - which translates to bad land. French Trappers used the name 'les mauvaises terres à traverser' which means 'a bad land to cross'. The spanish called it tierra baldía which means waste land. No matter what language you look at, it all pretty much says the same thing.
Little rain falls here making it dry most of the time. Gaze across the arid terrain of Badlands National Park. The lack of frequent rain makes it a unique experience. Badlands are created in drier areas with little rain. When it does rain, it usually pours. There are not many plants and erosion is common.
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Ride or drive through the treacherous Wilderness in South Dakota known as the Badlands National Park. It was set aside in 1976 by Congress and is a part of the National Park Services. It is over 64,000 acres in size. Enjoy the untamed outdoors where the bighorn sheep, coyote, Buffalo and deer still run free. Hunting is not allowed in the Badlands National Park, so there is really good chance to see some of these beautiful animals in a natural environment.
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Walking through this rugged terrain is not for the timid. They are often difficult to navigate by foot. No vehicles are allowed in the Badlands National Park wilderness. There are a few roads that skirt the area which allow you to get some great views of the colorful landscape. The rock formations and types are interesting. See the beautiful geological formations and canyons of the Badlands National Park.
Try to go through the Badlands National Park when the sun is shining. The rugged terrain reflects light in many beautiful ways. This beautiful landscape has been formed by erosion executed by water and the wind. The colors of Badlands National Park shift from dark black or blue coal to bright clays and even red scoria.
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Watch for the steep slopes, loose dirt, and slippery clay. Sand can also be a problem if you are going to try crossing the Badlands National Park on a route other than man made.
Some of the best known formations of this rough land are found in the United States and in Canada. A series of formations are scattered across Montana and the Dakotas. These are Badlands National Park in South Dakota, Makoshika State Park in Montana, and Theodore Roosevelt Park in North Dakota. Some other areas with similar terrain include Dinosaur National Monument
in Utah, and Hell's Half-Acre in Wyoming. This is the location that Starship Troopers was filmed. Another popular area is Toadstool Geologic Park in northwestern Nebraska.
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In Canada, you can enjoy the Big Muddy Badlands in Saskatchewan where outlaws are thought to have hidden. In Alberta Canada, a rather large area is in the valley of the Red Deer River.
Have you ever considered camping in the Badlands National Park? Although there are not any trails marked, and the terrain can be a challenge, camping is allowed in most of the Badlands National Park. Be prepared to enjoy some really primitive camping! Enjoy the undisturbed prairie wilderness on a camping adventure. Fishing is allowed with a permit, but with no roads or even good trails to follow, getting to a good fishing spot could be a challenge in Badlands National Park.
