It’s All Good in the Badlands

“Nothing could be more lonely and nothing more beautiful than the view at nightfall across the prairies to these huge hill masses, when the lengthening shadows had at last merged into one and the faint after-glow of the red sunset filled the west.”-Theodore Roosevelt

We planned this year to kick off the summer travel season with a trip that would keep us somewhat close to home,  while taking the Memorial Day weekend to make the trip to Badlands National Park which allowed us to leave a few days early, balance work and fun, and ease our way into the landscape.

After dusting off our Escapod and getting on the road, a quick stop was needed in South Sioux City, South Dakota for some Mexican food at Mi Familia Mexican Restaurant(and a giant margarita!) and then a stop at Jellystone Campground was such a fun start. And…on that evening drive, we enjoyed a sunset like we’ve never seen before! 

If you’ve ever driven through this part of the Midwest, you quickly realize that there is no getting lost if you are on your way toward Wall, SD.  A sign alongside of the interstate placed at every 100 yards or so was keeping us on track toward the Badlands and the famed Wall Drug. The closer we got, the more Mike was certain that he was NOT going to stop as he felt almost badgered to stop and enjoy their 5 cent coffee. Needless to say, we did not stop at Wall Drug this time through the area. I’m still curious though, so maybe next time through? 

We arrived at a spot to camp for the evening that is somewhat infamous for those that love to wild camp. On the far western side of the park, there is a view and a wide variety of options for those who are looking for a once in a lifetime opportunity. The only downside to this particular spot, was shall we say the wind? At 40+ MPH that evening, we just hung on tight to each other and tried to keep from blowing away. This is very common if camping in this area, so we grinned and beared it and retreated to play cards and stay cozy in the camper. The next morning, we jetted off the edge of the wall and made quick friends with a park ranger/camp host who found us a coveted spot early in the day at the Badlands National Park Campground. We got settled, ate a bit of lunch, and then did one of our favorite things (and we highly recommend) a stop at the park visitor’s center. We learned a lot about the history of the landscape and picked up a souvenir. 

We had heavy rains but beautiful night skies, enjoyed good people watching at the camp as well as prepared for 2 beautiful hikes the following day. Early to bed, early to rise.

We started with Window Trail, and then felt all-warmed up for Castle Trail. Both are very different and beautiful. One gives you a great view of the formations, and the other a grassland that leads into a spot that we should’ve had better luck than we did locating a few fossils. We did try hard though and Mike was particularly disappointed that he didn’t find a large fossil to take home to share and show with the boys.

It was a quick weekend, but I was so proud of us that we used the time we had to sneak away this weekend to see something new, do something different, and get out and explore. The Escapod is fantastic for these opportunities. Although, we are starting to crave a bit more room and a bit more protection from the weather. We’ll see where that takes us this somewhere…perhaps to the next chapter?

"One of our sweetest, loudest songsters is the meadow-lark...the plains air seems to give it a voice, and it will perch on the top of a bush or tree and sing for hours in rich, bubbling tones."-Theodore Roosevelt