The Lakota gave this land its name, “mako sica,” meaning “land bad.” Located in southwestern South Dakota, Badlands National Park consists of 244,000 acres of sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles and spires blended with the largest protected mixed grass prairie in the United States. It is desolation at its truest, where you can look for miles and see no sign of civilization.This land of sharp ridges, steep walled canyons, gullies, pyramids and knobs has been so ruthlessly ravaged by wind and water that it has become picturesque. The Badlands are a wonderland of bizarre, colorful spires and pinnacles, massive buttes and deep gorges USA tour & travels. Erosion of the Badlands reveals sedimentary layers of different colors: purple and yellow (shale), tan and gray (sand and gravel), red and orange (iron oxides) and white (volcanic ash).Badlands National Park also preserves the world’s greatest fossil beds of animals from the Oligocene Epoch of the Age of Mammals. The skeletons of ancient camels, three-toed horses, saber-toothed cats and giant rhinoceros-like creatures are among the many fossilized species found here. All fossils, rocks, plants and animals are protected and must remain where you find them. Prehistoric bones are still being uncovered today by park officials.
Devils Tower National Monument
Devils Tower National Monument, a unique and striking geologic wonder steeped in Indian legend, is a modern day national park and climbers’ challenge. Devils Tower sits across the state line in northeast Wyoming. The Tower is a solitary, stump-shaped granite formation that looms 1,267 feet above the tree-lined Belle Fourche River Valley, like a skyscraper in the country.
Jewel Cave National Monument
Beneath the Black Hills of South Dakota is the intriguing underground world of Jewel Cave. With 141 miles of explored passageways, Jewel Cave ranks as the second longest cave in the world. The cave was discovered at the turn of the century by brothers passing through Hell Canyon. On February 7, 1908, President Theodore Roosevelt declared the site a national monument.
Hiking and Camping
Those seeking extreme adventure can wander through the wilderness or backcountry of Badlands National Park. Camping is available at two campgrounds in the park: Cedar Pass Campground and Sage Creek Campground. The jagged spires and buttes provide moderate to hard hikes along the miles of designated trails. Sturdy hiking shoes are strongly recommended to avoid injury.
Paleontology in the Park
Badlands National Park contains the world’s richest deposits of fossils from the Oligocene epoch. Paleontologists have uncovered the remains of ancient three-toed horses, tiny deer-like creatures, turtles, a saber-toothed cat and other prehistoric animals.It will not be an exaggeration to say that Badlands National Park is a Awesome Place For Vacations.