The Badlands!

I will admit to having a fascination with the Badlands for many years. At some point in my youth, I read an article (probably National Geographic) on the area and was entranced by the pictures that I saw. There is something about the rugged terrain, the strata, and the steep spires that connects with me. Maybe I was a Lakota Indian in an earlier life, who knows. After touring the park, all that I can say is that any picture you see of the area (including the ones I took below) do not adequately portray the true majesty of the terrain. Every bend of the road or hiking trail brought a new view that caused both of us to stop and absorb it. I look at the 2-D images, and while nice, they are missing a great deal of what we actually perceived in person. This National Park is a must see; after all in 500,000 years or so, it will only be a set of little mounds!

When we left, we were both a little overdosed with the glorious landscapes. This is a very nice video; make sure you switch to full screen mode to watch it.

This place will always be a part of me. I hope that we enjoy Glacier National Park and Denali as much. I may have to get a proper camera in the near future instead of using the phone.