It’s the Simple Things

It’s funny how sometimes the cheap, simple things in life are the ones we end up valuing the most. Two days ago, Ryan and I headed out from Palisades State Park headed for the Black Hills of South Dakota. We stopped for lunch at the famous “Corn Palace” which was a bit of a disappointment since the “palace” was actually under construction. We still snapped a photo of Matt with the local mascot.

 

Can you spot Adams?

The best part of the day though, was Badlands National Park.

The landscape reminded Ryan and I so much of Valle de la Luna in Argentina, we found ourselves reminiscing a lot. We hiked for about an hour through the grasslands, marveling at the pinks and blues in the spires around us, offset by the bright green of the prairie grass, swaying softly in the wind.

 We cooked dinner at one of the park’s picnic areas, and as the sun set, we clearly had the park to ourselves. The best thing about the Badlands is that most people drive through it. There are lots of scenic pullouts and the visitor center of course, but (as we discovered) if you brave a hike, or backcountry camping, the park rewards you by showing its more intimate side, like the bright pinks and oranges of the sunset, the cool indigo of the rock in the dusky light, and the stars.

Ryan and I chose to sleep backcountry at the Badlands because, well, it’s ridiculously easy. All you have to do is sign a backcountry log at the trailhead, set off into the canyons and mounds of the landscape and camp half a mile from any road or trail, unseen by others. After dinner, Ryan and I threw our overnight stuff into our packs, walked about 30 minutes wherever we wanted off trail, then set up camp nestled against one of the rock formations. The clouds had cleared, the temperature had dropped and we slept in the tent without the rainfly on, so we could see the stars all night as more and more emerged.

 

Some local fauna on the way out of the park.

Sometime around 3am, I woke up, looked up, and saw the milky way clearly spreading across the length of the sky. It was a sight to take your breath away.

We were sad to leave the next day, and decided it’s certainly worthwhile to go back one day and

explore the backcountry of Badlands further. There’s so much more to see than what’s viewable from the road, and the best part is that it’s free to camp backcountry there. Proof you don’t have to spend a lot to have an unforgettable experience.

One last laugh, Ryan and I thought this was a funny omen from the powers that be. Noted!