Stormy afternoon in Badlands National Park

We drove from Sioux Falls to the Badlands. Our intention was to do some hiking in the Badlands but just as we pulled into the park it started raining. Fortunately the rain moved off into the distance providing a nice background for photography. Unfortunately it is very difficult to hike in the Badlands when the ground is wet. It is like walking on wet cement. The earth accumulates on ones shoes and is very difficult to get off. The park rangers refer to it as gumbo. As a result we stayed on hard surfaces during our afternoon visit. I noticed a number of folks were not aware of the problem and the result was a lot of people trying to get the gumbo off of their shoes.

 

Badlands National Park

We arrived in the badlands late in the afternoon. We hoped for a nice sunset but it didn’t happen. There were a large number of Bighorn Sheep grazing near the park entrance. We drove out a little ways on Sage Creek Road but not a lot was happening.

More photos from the Badlands can be found on my website.

We drove further into the park before we lost the light.

The next morning we were up for an early start and out in the park for sunrise. It was just an average sunrise. We took a few photos of the plains from the Buffalo Jump.

We drove on through the rest of the park before pushing on to Wisconsin.

Bighorn Sheep Badlands National Park

Our original plan had been to drive to Rocky Mountain National Park from Custer but we noted storm warnings and heavy snow in the forecast so we decided to head back home. We stopped in Wall, South Dakota for a bite to eat then picked up I-90 heading east. We had gone just a short distance when we noticed I-90 was closed for some reason. We decided to backtrack to Wall and drive through the Badlands. Not much that we hadn’t seen before but we did find a large group of Bighorn Sheep. We found the Rams and a little further down the road the ewes and kids. The Rams work is done for the year.

 

Driving the Sage Creek Rim Road Badlands National Park

After photographing early in the morning we headed back to Wall and had an early breakfast at Wall Drug. First place I’ve ever encountered that refused to make sunny side up eggs. While at breakfast we check the map and decided to drive back out to the park and drive the Sage Creek Rim Road. We have been driving through the badlands for years but have never driven the Sage Creek Rim Road  other that the first few hundred yards.  According to the map we would eventually end up in Hermosa which was our destination.

It was a beautiful early fall day and the color was nearing its peak.

We saw all kinds of wildlife on the drive. We hadn’t gone far before we encountered this Bighorn Sheep ram resting at the side of the road. He wasn’t about to move so we had to drive around him.

Bighorn Sheep

Bighorn Sheep

As small herd of Pronghorn Antelope crossed the road in front of us.

Pronghorn Antelope

Of course there were the ever present Prairie Dogs. It seems like there are more and more of them.

Prairie Dogs

There are Buffalo in the park but they are rarely seen on the Badlands Loop Road. We see them fairly frequently on the Sage Creek Rim Road. At one point we found a large number of them in a pen. Apparently there had been a roundup but the bulls still seemed to be roaming the park.

Buffalo

We had gotten out of the car to take some landscape photos and noticed this Coyote walking along. I went back to get my long lens and, of course, he dissapeared. I went back and got my landscape lens and sure enough he reappeared in full view but he was too far away for a shot.

Coyote

While we were watching the Prairie Dogs we notice a large bird sitting out in the Prairie Dog town. It looked to be the size of an eagle but we knew it wasn’t an eagle. Later we found out it was a Ferruginous Hawk. Apparently Prairie Dogs are one of its favorite meals. They frequently sit by an active hole and wait for the Prairie Dog to emerge. We later encountered several of them flying.

Ferruginous Hawk

Ferruginous Hawk

After exiting the Sage Creek Rim Road we ended up in Scenic, South Dakota.

We then drove through the Stronghold Unit of the Badlands. This place had been used as a bombing range. When we pulled over to take this photo I also took a photo of the warning sign.

Early Morning in the Badlands

We were hoping for a great sunrise but that didn’t happen. However the blue hour was spectacular.

We had some nice light for early morning photography.

Many of the same animals were around early in the morning.

Bighorn Sheep

Mule Deer

Evening in the Badlands

We drove out to the Badlands hoping for a beautiful sunset. That didn’t happen but there was still some nice evening light for photography.

There were plenty of wildlife to be seen as evening approached. We saw many Bighorn Sheep and Mule Deer.

 

Badlands Panoramas

I’ve driven through the Badlands many times but I’ve never taken any panoramas before so this trip I decided to take a few.

Badlands Wildlife

It was early in the spring and we were surprised at the number of animals we found in the park.

This was the first photograph I have gotten of Buffalo in the park. They usually hang out in the west end of the park and we normally don’t drive out that direction.

There were a number of herds of Mule Deer in various areas of the park.

Several herds of Bighorn Sheep were seen. The rams were no longer with the herd and it was a little early for the lambs. I had noticed a few sheep behind a hill. As I came over the hill this one was staring right at me.

The Prairie Dogs were around although it was very windy and cold so we didn’t see a lot of them. When we drove through in the morning they were just waking up.

Sunset and Sunrise in the Badlands

We were hoping for a little better sunrise and sunset but it is what it is and one has to make do with what is available.

Stormy Day in the Badlands

Nothing could be more boring than a sunny day in the Badlands with no clouds. When we reached the Badlands there had been storms all around us but we didn’t encounter any rain. The clouds provided a spectacular backdrop for shooting the Badlands late in the afternoon. There were wind advisories out and it was difficult to photograph because I could hardly stand up.