Badlands National Park-Aug. 2010

We left the Black Hills and headed towards the Badlands.  But first we had to stop in at Wall Drug, and from the looks of the traffic in the picture so did everyone else.  It sure was a busy place.  I think they have just about everything you can think of there.

We went on to Badlands National Park after leaving Wall Drug.  For such a desolate area to be named Badlands it was beautiful. Parts of  the Badlands is as old as 75 million years, different layers were formed at different times from sandstone, volcanic ash and other sediments.  Rivers once flowed through causing the different rock formations.  If you ask Randy what his favorite place to date is, he'll tell you the Badlands.  You can drive from one end of the park to the other rather quickly, leaving you plenty of time to explore the area on foot.  We would definitely go back if we're ever in the area again.

When the rivers stopped flowing through leaving behind sediments, the Badlands began eroding.  Scientist predict in 500,000 years it will be gone entirely.  What a shame, it's such a beautiful and unique place.