Part 1: South Dakota National Parks – Badlands and Wind Cave
Being right next door, I’ve visited South Dakota with my parents many times. After these trips, I jokingly vowed never to travel with them again—though if you’ve read my other blogs, you’ll know I’ve since done just that! My mom raced through the state park wildlife loop like she was on a mission, and my dad, nearly deaf, managed to make his presence known with his loud and often colorful remarks. If I were to write a book on traveling with elderly parents, it might be titled “50 Reasons to Think Twice Before Setting Out with Your Folks.”
Despite the chaos, South Dakota’s treasures are undeniable. There’s so much to explore that I’ve split this blog into two posts: National Parks and Other South Dakota Attractions.
We overnighted in Rapid City and left early to head to Badlands National Park, watching as dark storm clouds loomed ahead. We braced for a potentially soggy drive, but the rain stopped as soon as we entered the park. The clouds lingered, casting an ethereal light that deepened the park’s stunning colors.
We entered the Badlands Loop Road at the Pinnacles entrance near Wall (we did not stop at tourist-haven Wall Drug) and left about three hours later from Cactus Flats.
We started our journey on the Badlands Loop Road from the Pinnacles entrance near Wall (skipping the tourist-heavy Wall Drug) and exited three hours later at Cactus Flats. Along the way, we stopped frequently at designated viewpoints and some less apparent spots to capture photos.
The rock formations, with their alternating stripes of brown, white, red, and occasional green, were mesmerizing. The dizzying array of stripes surrounding me at one overlook made me feel a bit disoriented. The vibrant colors of the formations were even more striking under the cloudy skies.
The transition from the dramatic Badlands formations to the surrounding grasslands, punctuated by occasional rock spires, was striking. By the end of our drive, the sun emerged, turning the rocks a brilliant white.
From above, the landscape featured circular and rounded rocks, while others, near the end of our route, resembled towering castle turrets reminiscent of the Needles Highway.
The park is full of hiking trails, and we explored the Fossil Exhibit Trail—a short, accessible walk that showcases fossil replicas and exhibits of extinct creatures that once roamed this land. Fun fact: The Badlands National Park is renowned for its significant fossil finds, including some of the most complete skeletons of ancient mammals from the Oligocene epoch.
We later made our way to Wind Cave National Park and decided to tour Wind Cave itself. On our drive, we spotted a range of wildlife: a solitary buffalo, a trio of pronghorns, a pair of deer, and a mule deer.
At the crowded Wind Cave, we joined the popular Garden of Eden tour, a one-hour, quarter-mile trek known as the least strenuous option. Ranger Celeste led our tour, sharing insights about the cave’s fascinating features. I’ve always enjoyed exploring caves. They are cool and dimly lit and filled with intriguing rock formations.
During our tour, we marveled at the cave’s unique formations, including the intricate boxwork, delicate popcorn formations, and the intriguing “cave snot” or flowstone.
One highlight was experiencing total darkness. Ranger Celeste demonstrated how the cave’s early explorers navigated using just a string and a candle in a bucket.
To reach the cave, we took an elevator 12 stories below the surface, which might be daunting for those with claustrophobia. The cave holds sacred significance for the Lakota people.
After our tour, we checked out the natural entrance—a small, unassuming hole in the ground. Who would look at that hole and think, “I wonder what’s down there?” and climb in to take a look? It’s hard to believe such a modest opening could lead to a vast underground world, but the wind rushing out of it hints at the cave’s hidden depths.
Fun fact: Wind Cave is one of the longest caves in the world, renowned for its rare and unique boxwork formations, which make up about 95% of all known boxwork formations worldwide.
If you want to go:
BADLANDS https://www.nps.gov/badl/index.htm
WIND CAVE NATL PARK https://www.nps.gov/wica/index.htm