3/3/2023 0 Comments Camping at badlands guardian![]() (We learned later why no one camped in the middle.) It was basically just a field, and campers staked their claim wherever they could find an open spot around the outside edge. There were a few sheltered picnic tables, some tables without any cover, and a couple of pit toilets on opposite sides of the oval from each other. We turned off the main road and down into a relatively flat plain filled with bison and tents. ![]() The landscape had migrated from bluffs and spires to calming sage-colored ripples. This was unknown territory and I gazed out the window in wonder.ĭespite my tension, as we neared the campground I could see where it got its name. We were headed towards the Pacific Ocean, and I knew from that point on, until we reached Minnesota on our return visit, the sight of fields would be more of a rarity than a certainty. Technically, South Dakota is the Midwest, but it certainly didn’t feel like it. In the Midwest, it’s rare to drive more than an hour or two without seeing a field, a farm, or a town. We entered the Pine Ridge Reservation and for the first time in more than 24 hours saw arable land. Jim watched the fuel gauge and I watched the scenery. It was not my first rodeo, yet here we were coasting down hills because the distance-to-empty was precipitously low. There are two cardinal rules of road trips: go to the bathroom before you have to, and never pass a gas station when you’re below half a tank in the middle of a place with no cell service. You’d think I’d never been on a road trip before. Surely there would be another gas station between where we were and Badlands National Park. ![]() We’d passed a gas station, but prices seemed high, so I suggested we skip it. We drove north through Rosebud Indian Reservation until we got to Mission and turned west. This was my first time in the state, and one of many firsts for me on this trip. The change from Nebraska to South Dakota was so subtle we didn’t even notice until we realized we were on reservation land. It’s at no extra cost to you and helps keep TLT free. There may be affiliate links in this post, which means we may get a small commission. Even if you’re short on time, you can still see a lot in Badlands National Park.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |