Badlands Scenic Drive, Badlands National Park, South Dakota

September 2007

If I had to use two words to describe Badlands National Park, they would be "lunar landscape". As I was driving through the park, certain areas made me feel like I was on the moon.

The Loop Drive through Badlands National Park is certainly one of the most beautiful and scenic drives in South Dakota. I started the drive at the Northeastern Entrance on my way to Mount Rushmore. You can also do the drive in reverse starting in the town of Wall and entering though the western Pinnacles Entrance. Along the way, there are many spectacular overlooks such as the Pinnacles Overlook, Panorama Point, and Yellow Mounds to name only a few.

Canyons, towering spires, flat-topped tables, prairie and grasslands dominate the park landscape. The park is quite large covering an area of 244,000 acres. Scientist believe this area was once a large watering hole some 33 million years ago very much similar to the watering areas in Africa. The park also has one of the world's richest mammal fossil beds.

Door Trail, Badlands National Park

The Door Trail is a short boardwalk trail that leads through an opening in the Badlands Wall ("the Door") and offers expansive views of the arid and rock landscapes of the Badlands.

Cliff Shelf Trail, Badlands National Park

Cliff Shelf Trail consists of a boardwalk and stairs and climbs 200 feet though a juniper forest.

Badlands Visitor Center is located close to the Northeast Entrance of the park. It features exhibits and a movie called Land of Stone and Light which provides visitors with a good introduction and understanding of the park.

Panorama Point Overlook, Badlands National Park.

Two geological processes were at play in this park over many million of years, deposition and erosion. The process of erosion started 500,000 years ago and continues today as water cuts through the rock layers carving incredible shapes.

View of Sage Creek from Yellow Mounds Overlook

Deep eroded canyons are a common feature in Badlands National Park

Pinnacles Overlook

Pinnacles Overlook is the highest point in the park at 3,247 feet or 1,009 meters located near the western Pinnacles Entrance close to the town of Wall.