Badlands National Park in Photos

The Stark Beauty of Badlands National Park

Summer Road Trip, Day 3

I stood on the shifty rocks overlooking a wasteland of jagged peaks and otherworldly terrain. 

The wind was whipping violently at my face, but the landscape before me remained indifferent.

What did the Indians think about such a scene as they were being chased from their lands by the white man?

At first glance, the unnatural formations appear to be impenetrable, but after further exploration, we found a realm unto its own. Wildlife, flowers and vegetation blooms, but initially is overshadowed by the ethereal terrain.

Come explore the Badlands with us on this photo tour! 

Click here for 6 Things You Cannot Miss when Visiting the Badlands!

At first glance, the unnatural formations of Badlands National Park appear to be impenetrable, but after further exploration we found a realm unto its own.

At first glance, the unnatural formations of Badlands National Park appear to be impenetrable, but after further exploration we found a realm unto its own.At first glance, the unnatural formations of Badlands National Park appear to be impenetrable, but after further exploration we found a realm unto its own.

Black Hills road trip definitely needs a stop in Badlands National Park.

At first glance, the unnatural formations of Badlands National Park appear to be impenetrable, but after further exploration we found a realm unto its own.

At first glance, the unnatural formations of Badlands National Park appear to be impenetrable, but after further exploration we found a realm unto its own.

At first glance, the unnatural formations of Badlands National Park appear to be impenetrable, but after further exploration we found a realm unto its own.

At first glance, the unnatural formations of Badlands National Park appear to be impenetrable, but after further exploration we found a realm unto its own.

Black Hills road trip definitely needs a stop in Badlands National Park.

Black Hills road trip definitely needs a stop in Badlands National Park.

At first glance, the unnatural formations of Badlands National Park appear to be impenetrable, but after further exploration we found a realm unto its own.

Black Hills road trip definitely needs a stop in Badlands National Park.

At first glance, the unnatural formations of Badlands National Park appear to be impenetrable, but after further exploration we found a realm unto its own.

Black Hills road trip definitely needs a stop in Badlands National Park.

At first glance, the unnatural formations of Badlands National Park appear to be impenetrable, but after further exploration we found a realm unto its own.

At first glance, the unnatural formations of Badlands National Park appear to be impenetrable, but after further exploration we found a realm unto its own.

Black Hills road trip definitely needs a stop in Badlands National Park.

At first glance, the unnatural formations of Badlands National Park appear to be impenetrable, but after further exploration we found a realm unto its own.

At first glance, the unnatural formations of Badlands National Park appear to be impenetrable, but after further exploration we found a realm unto its own.

Black Hills road trip definitely needs a stop in Badlands National Park.

At first glance, the unnatural formations of Badlands National Park appear to be impenetrable, but after further exploration we found a realm unto its own.

At first glance, the unnatural formations of Badlands National Park appear to be impenetrable, but after further exploration we found a realm unto its own.

Miles Driven Today: 101, Total Miles Driven: 1,023, Average Gas Price per Gallon: $2.29, States: South Dakota

And so our epic 80 day summer road trip continues – 13 U.S. states, 2 Canadian provinces and 13 national parks. You can also follow our journey via Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

If you would like to see our full itinerary, start at the beginning here. And Day 1 here.

Next Stop: Custer State Park

 

What’s your favorite picture? Tell us in the comments below!

Like it? Pin it!

At first glance, the unnatural formations of Badlands National Park appear to be impenetrable, but after further exploration we found a realm unto its own.

Badlands National Park Pin

 

Follow Angela:

Angela E. is a travel writer from the Chicagoland area who has visited all 50 states in the US and has traveled extensively around the world. She is passionate about exploring the great outdoors and hiking in particular. Her love for nature has taken her to some of the most beautiful locations on the planet. She has written extensively about her travels on her own website, Dang Travelers, and has been published in collaboration with other travel websites and multiple visitor bureaus around the country.

16 Responses

  1. Chris Travels

    I personally loved ALL your outstanding photos of the badlands and cute animals, but the one that “tickled my fancy” the most (am I telling my age here), was of Angela climbing those awesome manmade wooden stairs. How unique they are and looks like a lot of fun, precarious as they may have been!

    • Dang Travelers

      That hike was our favorite in the badlands. The trail (notch trail) ends with a wonderful panoramic view and includes hiking along a ledge with many cliffside birds.

    • Dang Travelers

      Lol at sunset it felt like it! During the day though there were people, but not busy at all for some reason. The parking lots weren’t ever full. Maybe June is a good month?

  2. Kristen

    Awesome pictures! I can’t wait to follow along on the rest of your trip! Make sure you drive along Needles Highway in Custer State Park, it’s gorgeous!

  3. Diane R

    Awesome trip so far. Love you two. Enjoy every moment of your long adventure.

    Sure Tyler and Jason will miss you.

    • Dang Travelers

      Thanks Diane! We are going to miss them. 3 months is a long time, but if it keeps going like this past week it’s going to pass by pretty quickly.

  4. Laura Cerny

    Great photos! We enjoyed our return to the Badlands 2 years ago but we missed the log ladder in one of your pics. Where is it? Thanks for a great trip down memory lane.

  5. Kim B

    Hey travelers,
    My first trip through the Badlands was 27 years ago w/my youngest sister, my most recent trip was this summer w/my mom.
    27 years ago my sis & I took our first helicopter rides over the badlands. Needless to say it was outstanding! I agree with you about how surreal the landscape is & how forboding it initially appears as well & how that changes the longer you are there.
    This summer I had the privilege of driving through the area with my mother. I think the highlight for her, besides the beauty of the place, was the prairie dog town. I’m not sure how long we sat and watched them but it was absolutely delightful to watch and be there with my mother.
    Onward.
    Kim B

    • Dang Travelers

      Traveling and sharing experiences with family is the best! A helicopter ride would be a fantastic way to see the park đŸ˜† we’ve only done that once in Denali National Park. I love that you are following along on our adventure Kim! And that you have memories to go along with our new experiences!!

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