Summer Travels 2019: Badlands

After Wall Drug, we drove to Badlands National Park. It was spectacular!

Badlands as seen from the interstate.

Driving through the park on our way to the Visitor Center.

We had tacos on Indian Fry bread. Yum!

Megan, Matthew and Me getting some exercise after dinner.

Matthew says Badlands National Park is his favorite National Park because you can make your own trails. They do encourage exploration of the park.

Badlands around sunset.

We had hoped to go to the park to watch the sunset and do a star-gazing program. However, it was a stormy night, so that didn't happen. Still, the park looked beautiful in the filtered light.

See that thundercloud? It looked like it had a couple of fingers reaching down to touch the ground.

Double rainbow!

We saw this little toad on the sidewalk by our hotel.

Love the color of the Badlands!

Really small toad in the middle of the screen.
Even though it was disappointing to not do the star gazing, we were able to talk to a couple from Norway for quite awhile on the porch while watching the storm. It was enjoyable!

Me woke up before sunrise and so decided to go watch the sunrise. It was still cloudy although the clouds were not as thick as the night before.

Couple of photos from the end of the Window Trail including a panoramic while waiting for the sun to rise.

The sun starts to peak above the clouds.

And we have light.

See the lone van? Me saw very few other people.

And the sun starts to shine on the Castle Trail.

Views from the Window Trail with light.

It was cool to watch the park "wake up" as the sun hit the different structures. It definitely had a similar feel to sunrise at the Grand Canyon. The colors seem richer. Here are pictures from around the park as the sun rose.

 

Me walked along the Cliff Shelf Nature Trail. This is the view towards our motel.

Pretty rock from the same trail.

Me went back to the motel to eat breakfast and get the rest of the family.

Megan and Matthew on the Door Trail. This was definitely a favorite trail as there was lots of room for exploration. The trail started with a short boardwalk, after which we went down onto the ground. There were poles to mark the direction of the trail, with lots of room for running around.

Panoramic from Door Trail. Matthew and Megan called it the "Kids' Grand Canyon" as it reminded them of the Grand Canyon but on a smaller scale perfect for kids.

The kids loved running around this area.

Megan, Matthew and U: Conquerors of the hill!

Sarah looks out over the landscape.

Sarah enjoys the beauty of the park.

8 year old explorers.

Me is a giant!

Looking down into the canyon.

We buried Sarah up to her neck for this picture...

We almost lost her off a cliff too.

It was amazing to be able to just walk anywhere we wanted.

Victory over the hills!

Back at the trailhead, we saw some wildlife...

Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep!

Megan and Matthew deciding which way to go next.

Family photo at the end of the Window Trail.

Another one looking the other direction.

Happy shirt, happy Me.

Strategically looking for a route up to the next level.

Sarah gazing into the future.

The Notch Trail had a log ladder to climb up.

We followed a wash and also scrambled across some small hills.

Beautiful scenery at the end.

Panoramic looking out of the Notch.

The kids found a nice place to sit.

Matthew found a cave to take a little rest in.

Coming back on the Notch Trail.

The cliffs were all made of clay and dirt so you didn't want to get too close.

Scenic views abounded.

We had to climb back down into that valley.

Good thing no one moved the ladder.

Matthew and Me standing in a field.

Another cave!

The bighorn sheep were still hanging out around the parking lot so we got a few more pictures.

Mushrooms grow here too!

Swearing in as Junior Rangers.

Megan was paying close attention to the oath.

Who is at the top of that formation?

Me and Matthew!

Matthew on the climb up.

Panoramic from the Fossil Exhibit Trail.

Megan and Matthew enjoyed doing some more exploring.

Matthew's to do list:
1) Find a hill
2) Climb it
3) Go back to item 1

A swallow's nest with mostly grown birds.

The landscape was so rugged.

Look at the Grand Canyon for kids.

Such amazing features.

Another spectacular view from an overlook.

A few more photos of the scenery from our drive around the park. It was interesting to compare these Badlands with the badlands of North Dakota found in Theodore Roosevelt National Park. There was not much vegetation growing on these features versus the North Dakota buttes often had grass and other vegetation growing on the north side.

There were people there too, not just scenery.  

The hills in this part of the park were purple and yellow due to different chemical compounds in the rock.

A giant hill needs people to climb it.

There was a long path across the top.

Happy hikers.

More Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep!

This one was hanging out right by the road.

Baby!

This one was well hidden. 

We took the back way out of the Badlands to get to our next destination.  There were many more spectacular views.

U decided to take a selfie.

We found a bison herd!

More bighorn sheep.

The storm clouds rolling in over the prairie were awesome.

The kids were excited to see more prairie dogs.

The town was pretty big.

Just eating grass.

Goodbye Badlands!