Fulltime RV couple traveling the United States in our 2018 Tommy Bahama 27FBQ Airstream!
Want to see our Visited States Data, our State by State Bucket Lists or our Visited Parks and Campground lists? Then click on the image above to go to our other website.
MONDAY - After our less than stellar visit to the Black Hills Caverns this morning, which you read about in the previous blogpost, we headed east on SD-44 to essentially bring us in the back door of Badlands National Park.
But before we left the big city of Rapid City, SD (pop. 76,184) we had one other stop to make. After leaving Walmart and on the way to the caverns I saw an electronic billboard for the Wind River Ear Nose and Throat (WRENT) Clinic. What really caught my attention is the billboard scrolled through several frames and one of them announced "We Accept Walk Ins".
For the last few days I've been trying to clear my right ear of a wax build up using "Over The Counter" ear drops. While I've been successful in getting some wax out, I have not been able to relieve the pressure that's been building in my ear. It feels like I'm on an airplane and need to pop my ear, but I just can't get it done.
The medical office is located in what appears to be a relatively new building, hence why they are still trying to build up a practice and accepting walk-ins. There was even room for us to park ROVER and THE POD in the parking lot, another big plus to making the decision to stop in.
After a 45-minute wait and a 15-minute treatment, I walked out of the clinic feeling 100% normal, well at least when discussing my hearing. I was told no infections or anything to be concerned with regarding my hearing. That was good news!
The relatively short drive to Badlands National Park from Rapid City (100-miles) was pretty uneventful until we got to a point where road construction was being done to replace the roadbed. They had entirely removed the roadway over both lanes and for about 100-yards we had to slog through the mud and rock they were freshly laying down.
That made the sides of ROVER and THE POD a muddy mess. We'll soon be looking for a truck wash in order to remedy that situation before this 100°F heat we've been experiencing permanently bakes it into the paint. Not to mention the squashed bugs on the front of both.
The best thing about this campsite is that electrical post we're plugged into.
You can't tell in this photo but ROVER and THE POD are a muddy mess.
TUESDAY - Today we're going to take a drive, a very scenic drive, down SD-240 for 22-miles east of the campground.
This paved road is also known as The Badlands Loop drive.
We'll then be driving an additional 11½-miles on an unpaved gravel road, Sage Creek Rim Road, to check out the only other campground in the park.
BADLANDS NATIONAL PARK SCENIC DRIVES
The highlighted BLUE road is were we'll be exploring today.
SLIDE NUMBER
1
OF
40
We were on the road by 7:45AM while the badlands were still in shadows.
SLIDE NUMBER
2
OF
40
Our first stop was the Saddle Pass Trailhead, but no long hikes for us today. The temperatures will be over 100°F this afternoon.
SLIDE NUMBER
3
OF
40
The road soon began it's climb up and through the Norbeck Pass.
SLIDE NUMBER
4
OF
40
We did take a short stroll down the unfinished ¼-mile Fossil Exhibit Trail.
SLIDE NUMBER
5
OF
40
The brand new story boards were for once easy to read. Most of the time these story boards have been bleached out by the sun.
SLIDE NUMBER
6
OF
40
Even a 2-mile hike in the pending heat down the Castle Trail doesn't sound fun.
SLIDE NUMBER
7
OF
40
The view from the White River Valley Overlook.
SLIDE NUMBER
8
OF
40
SLIDE NUMBER
9
OF
40
The view from the Big Foot Pass Overlook.
SLIDE NUMBER
10
OF
40
The view from Panorama Point.
SLIDE NUMBER
11
OF
40
SLIDE NUMBER
12
OF
40
The short Prairie Wind Overlook boardwalk.
SLIDE NUMBER
13
OF
40
The view from the Burns Basin Overlook.
SLIDE NUMBER
14
OF
40
SLIDE NUMBER
15
OF
40
SLIDE NUMBER
16
OF
40
The view from the Homestead Overlook.
SLIDE NUMBER
17
OF
40
I'll bet you didn't even see the Bighorn Sheep in the previous photo. Tricia didn't either and almost missed taking the next few photos.
SLIDE NUMBER
18
OF
40
SLIDE NUMBER
19
OF
40
SLIDE NUMBER
20
OF
40
SLIDE NUMBER
21
OF
40
SLIDE NUMBER
22
OF
40
This is the view from the Conata Basin Overlook.
SLIDE NUMBER
23
OF
40
See those cars down there? That's our next stop.
SLIDE NUMBER
24
OF
40
The view from the Yellow Mounds Overlook.
SLIDE NUMBER
25
OF
40
An "unofficial" social tail leads from the parking lot to the top of this yellow mound.
SLIDE NUMBER
26
OF
40
This yellow color really sets these apart from all the other formations we've seen.
SLIDE NUMBER
27
OF
40
SLIDE NUMBER
28
OF
40
ROVER awaits at the Ancient Hunters Overlook.
SLIDE NUMBER
29
OF
40
SLIDE NUMBER
30
OF
40
The view from the Pinnacles Overlook.
SLIDE NUMBER
31
OF
40
This is our last stop while driving on the pavement of the Badlands Loop Road.
SLIDE NUMBER
32
OF
40
We will now start driving on the gravel roadway of Sage Creek Rim Road.
SLIDE NUMBER
33
OF
40
At the Hay Butte Overlook we saw a lone bison out in the field.
SLIDE NUMBER
34
OF
40
The view from the Hay Butte Overlook.
SLIDE NUMBER
35
OF
40
The view from the Badlands Wilderness Overlook.
SLIDE NUMBER
36
OF
40
SLIDE NUMBER
37
OF
40
Just before arriving at the next stop we saw a Pronghorn way off in the field.
SLIDE NUMBER
38
OF
40
Another lone bison walking through the Roberts Prairie Dog Town.
SLIDE NUMBER
39
OF
40
This prairie dog was "yipping out" the warning there was an intruder in town.
SLIDE NUMBER
40
OF
40
The view from the Sage Creek Basin Overlook.
Here's a video of the bison walking through the prairie dog town and very close to ROVER and the roadway.
Once the bison left town it was time to get back to just playing around and having fun.
After exploring the west side of the park it was getting to be lunchtime.
Located just 8-miles outside of the park is the town of Wall, SD (pop. 709). On any given day that population is more than triple thanks to the tourists who come to visit Wall Drug.
Wall Drug is the very definition of a Tourist Trap. It's a full square block long and wide with restaurants, gift shops, tourist information, but what's the thing it's been most famous for over the last 90+ years? Giving away FREE water and 5¢ coffee.
With over 2,000,000 visitors each year we had to go see what it was like. We had a OK experience with our lunch selection and ice cream, but the touristy part is just not something we enjoyed. It did have one thing we enjoyed, Air Conditioning! I can see where it would be a great place to stop with smaller children, it's like a small version of DisneyWorld.
We had to park a block away from the Main Entrance of the Wall Drug Store.
Inside there was so much to look at it was overwhelming.
There was an indoor mini-mall with dozens of stand alone stores.
Even the outside was well designed with a western motif.
Right across the street from where we filled up with $3.99 gasoline was this 30' tall jackelope, that's a hybrid of a jack rabbit and an antelope, for those of you who didn't know.
Since 2004 Jarrett and Jordan Dahl have been creating award winning chainsaw art.
They have three galleries of their artwork all over the Black Hills Region of South Dakota.
WEDNESDAY - As you can see when comparing the two maps, the one from yesterday and the one today, we explored most of the park already.
That doen't mean there isn't anything to see today. We saved one of the "outside the park" locations to visit today, mostly because they were closed on Monday and Tuesday.
This east side of the park is where you'll find several shorter hiking trails, ones we felt comfortable doing, but only in the early morning temperatures.
We'll get to those right after we sample the breakfast offerings in the Cedar Pass Lodge Cafe.
EASTSIDE HIKING TRAILS
The highlighted BLUE road is were we'll be exploring today.
SLIDE NUMBER
1
OF
24
Before we get to any of the hikes we'll have to drive up and over Cedar Pass.
SLIDE NUMBER
2
OF
24
The ½-mile Cliff Shelf Trail looks like it could use a little maintenance.
SLIDE NUMBER
3
OF
24
That the destination high above on the cliff.
SLIDE NUMBER
4
OF
24
Stairs, stairs, stairs and then.....more stairs.
SLIDE NUMBER
5
OF
24
From the top you could see all the way down to the campground.
SLIDE NUMBER
6
OF
24
Can you SPOT THE POD?
SLIDE NUMBER
7
OF
24
Maybe now then!
SLIDE NUMBER
8
OF
24
The beginning of the ¾-mile Door Trail had these odd looking square shaped buttes.
SLIDE NUMBER
9
OF
24
This is where the trail passes through "The Door".
SLIDE NUMBER
10
OF
24
SLIDE NUMBER
11
OF
24
That's me approaching the end of the trail.
SLIDE NUMBER
12
OF
24
Looking out over the Badlands.
SLIDE NUMBER
13
OF
24
Badlands National Park is a open-hike park, meaning you can hike anywhere you want. Normally National Parks are drumming into your head to "stay on the trail".
SLIDE NUMBER
14
OF
24
If you remain on the trail you may never see formations like these.
SLIDE NUMBER
15
OF
24
The ¼-mile Window Trail also starts off with a boardwalk section.
SLIDE NUMBER
16
OF
24
Tricia spotted this beauty feeding on the local sunflowers.
SLIDE NUMBER
17
OF
24
SLIDE NUMBER
18
OF
24
SLIDE NUMBER
19
OF
24
This bunny popped out from under the boardwalk to have their photo taken, thanks!
SLIDE NUMBER
20
OF
24
The end of the boardwalk offered more spectacular views of the Badlands.
SLIDE NUMBER
21
OF
24
SLIDE NUMBER
22
OF
24
SLIDE NUMBER
23
OF
24
SLIDE NUMBER
24
OF
24
I told you ROVER was filthy, THE POD is in worse shape.
Now that we've finished with our exploration of Badlands National Park let's head just outside of the park and check out the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site.
Ninety days ago I made the mistake of not reserving a tour of the nearby Delta-01 Launch Control Facility where you get to go underground and see for yourself how they controlled the launching of the Minuteman missles during the Cold War Era.
Don't get the idea that the United States isn't still prepared to this day to be able to defend itself against nuclear attack, just not here at the South Dakota site. During the summer tourist season these tours sell out quickly, mostly because they only allow 6 visitors at a time, several times a day, 5 days a week. That's not a lot of tickets available to the general public.
So we did the next best thing, we watched a Ranger led presentation of a virtual tour of the facility, without having to ride a 3-story elevator with 6 other people which was meant to carry 2 adults, or climb a vertical ladder 15' into the "capsule".
Over the course of the 45-minute presentation we learned all about our past and present nuclear defense program. It was followed by a 20-minute video about how the location of the missile bases were chosen and why they weren't kept a secret from our enemies.
Deterrents only work if your enemy is aware of them.
The highlighted BLUE road is were we'll be exploring today.
We were on the road by 7:45AM while the badlands were still in shadows.
Our first stop was the Saddle Pass Trailhead, but no long hikes for us today.
The road soon began it's climb up and through the Norbeck Pass.
We did take a short stroll down the unfinished ¼-mile Fossil Exhibit Trail.
The brand new story boards were for once easy to read.
Even a 2-mile hike in the pending heat down the Castle Trail doesn't sound fun.
The view from the White River Valley Overlook.
The view from the Big Foot Pass Overlook.
The view from Panorama Point.
The short Prairie Wind Overlook boardwalk.
The view from the Burns Basin Overlook.
The view from the Homestead Overlook.
I'll bet you didn't even see the Bighorn Sheep in the previous photo.
This is the view from the Conata Basin Overlook.
See those cars down there? That's our next stop.
The view from the Yellow Mounds Overlook.
An "unofficial" social tail leads from the parking lot to the top of this yellow mound.
This yellow color really sets these apart from all the other formations we've seen.
ROVER awaits at the Ancient Hunters Overlook.
The view from the Pinnacles Overlook.
This is our last stop while driving on the pavement of the Badlands Loop Road.
We will now start driving on the gravel roadway of Sage Creek Rim Road.
At the Hay Butte Overlook we saw a lone bison out in the field.
The view from the Hay Butte Overlook.
The view from the Badlands Wilderness Overlook.
Just before arriving at the next stop we saw a Pronghorn way off in the field.
Another lone bison walking through the Roberts Prairie Dog Town.
This prairie dog was "yipping out" the warning there was an intruder in town.
The view from the Sage Creek Basin Overlook.
The highlighted BLUE road is were we'll be exploring today.
Before we get to any of the hikes we'll have to drive up and over Cedar Pass.
The ½-mile Cliff Shelf Trail looks like it could use a little maintenance.
That the destination high above on the cliff.
Stairs, stairs, stairs and then.....more stairs.
From the top you could see all the way down to the campground.
Can you SPOT THE POD?
Maybe now then!
The beginning of the ¾-mile Door Trail had these odd looking square shaped buttes.
This is where the trail passes through "The Door".
That's me approaching the end of the trail.
Looking out over the Badlands.
Badlands National Park is a open-hike park, meaning you can hike anywhere you want.
If you remain on the trail you may never see formations like these.
The ¼-mile Window Trail also starts off with a boardwalk section.
Tricia spotted this beauty feeding on the local sunflowers.
This bunny popped out from under the boardwalk to have their photo taken, thanks!
The end of the boardwalk offered more spectacular views of the Badlands.
I told you ROVER was filthy, THE POD is in worse shape.
