Jagged crests and plunging valleys, stratified by varying
shades of reddish-beige, crisscrossed and zigzagged in every direction. It was
a haunting and barren panorama, but the otherworldly simplicity made it
undeniably beautiful.
The enormous, deep blue sky around me dropped precariously
into shadowed gorges, punctured by odd rock formations and irregular peaks.
There was no noise, no breeze, no movement of any kind save my own shuffling in
the celestial dust.
In the silence and the beating sun, I was exhilarated. My
heart was still racing from the rugged, arduous climb that winded my lungs and
pained my hands, but also from the extraordinary extraterrestrial terrain my
eyes now feasted upon.
With all of the beauty and tranquility, I had to prevent my
mind from wandering, lest I sway and stumble from this precarious outcrop. I
peered over the edge and the sudden lurch in my stomach reminded me I was not
on an alien planet, I was still very much on earth. Gravity still worked here
in the Badlands.
The 244,000 acres of Badlands National Park is the stuff of
fantasy. The park is possessed with an ethereal mystique, but all the while
offering visitors of all ages, all interests and all abilities a chance to
experience natural splendor and more than a few thrills.
Located in the southwest corner of South Dakota, The
Badlands boast some of America’s most stunning and unique topography, inside
and out. Underneath, these hills of geological deposits encase one of the
richest fossil beds in the world. Where prairie dogs and bison now roam, used
to be the home of saber-tooth tigers.
Hop off Route 90 and head down to the Park’s main road that
runs straight through the length of the prairies, plateaus and high, dry hills.
Plenty of overlooks afford the roadtripper ample opportunities to stop and
stroll out over the rocky terrain, or perhaps encounter roaming wildlife like
bighorn sheep and bison. The visitor’s center is a good jumping-off point,
where you’ll find tours, exhibits and information about the vast frontier
you’re about to explore.
Venture further into the rugged terrain of The Badlands and
you’ll begin to wonder how any living creature could survive here. But many
spots will remind you that this is very much a wild National Park. I passed a
sign that read “Beware of Rattlesnakes,” which only added to the excitement and
sense of pioneer adventure. The warning also kept me on my toes, which helped
as I traversed The Badlands’ rugged, serrated surface, one of the strangest and
most exhilarating hiking destinations in the country.
Near the eastern entrance to the park not far in from the
Cedar Pass Lodge, the park’s only on-site lodging option, is the trailhead for
the Saddle Pass Trail. Only a quarter mile long, Saddle Pass is no walk in the
National Park. The steep climb will take around thirty minutes to reach the
top, where you can continue on further into the Badlands at the Castle Trail
junction or skirt the plateau and scramble up to the tallest peak for the
unmatched panoramic view.
Although Badlands National Park is a destination in itself,
its neighbors are just as astonishing. This cozy corner of South Dakota is also
home to two other American treasures: The Black Hills and Mt. Rushmore, making
it an area worth trekking to.
The Black Hills live up to their name and offer hiking
vastly different than what you find in the dusty crags and grass prairies of
the Badlands. Deep forests cover the Black Hills and the inclined trails bring
you up to the top of big sky country. The trees expand in all directions like a
dark emerald ocean.
While you’re gazing out over the majestic Black Hills from
atop one of the scenic vistas, don’t be surprised if you see someone staring
back at you. Nestled in amongst the undulating, tree-lined mountains are South
Dakota’s four most famous residents: Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and
Lincoln.
Less than two hours from Badlands National Park towers the
Mt. Rushmore National Memorial. No matter how many photos or snow globes or
cartoon iterations of it you have seen, this awesome feat of artistry and
engineering will assuredly drop your jaw.
Seeing the four presidential busts head-on is enough to
satisfy any visit, but follow the horseshoe trail that leads from the
surrounding exhibits up to the base of the mountain and back again. What looks
like a rockslide around the base of the mountain is actually the chipped of
pieces of stone, loosed by daredevil artisans to form the mammoth likenesses
under which you now stand. It’s hard to imagine that looking up someone’s nose
could be so remarkable, but it is.
From Mt. Rushmore to the Badlands, South Dakota’s southwest
corner is unlike anywhere else in America. Whether you gawk at gigantic heads
or traverse the lunar landscape, a visit here is certainly out of this world.
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