They Call It the Badlands for a Reason!

Woke up mad early to shower and clean up camp before we headed out. Let me tell you Blue Mound State Park has the nicest bathrooms and showers I've seen in camping sites!

Hot showers was a wonderful morning surprise!  I was totally ready to brace myself for the cold shock morning rinse, but when I let the water run for a few seconds, BOOM! Hot water! Such a nice surprise!

Packed up at left Blue Mound and got gas around 8:00am.  Since we were almost on the border between Minnesota and South Dakota, we hit the lower Dakota state around 8:30am CST give or take (I wasn't really paying attention).  

10:15am CST we crossed the bridge over the Missouri River!  And then we hit another gas pit stop a half hour later.

I totally forgot that we were going to cross our final time zone half way through South Dakota!  So my timing may be a smidge off (well an hour earlier) from what I write from now until after we left the Badlands NP.

Roughly around 11:30 MST (I think!) and about 280 miles later we hit the Badlands National Park in Pine Ridge, SD.  As a geology lover this was sooooo cool. The colors you saw were extremely similar to what Nate and I saw at the Painted Desert. Well, not as vibrant but the banding reminded me of it.  

We stopped in the visitors center to speak with a ranger on what they thought was the best route to go to enjoy the Badlands.  They recommended going to Conata, a little picnic area where you get some clear access into Badlands' prairie and fossilized soils!

It was so cool to walk up and down these peaks, gullies, and buttes.  Although it was pretty hot, I think the temperature said about 80 degrees. Which I usually don't mind however no trees lead to no shade and mega dehydration.

We were originally going to camp here but I could tell after the hike we were a little hesitant.  Nate remembered a place that is past the Badlands, called Custer State Park. So we continued through the Badlands and traveled about 225 miles outside Hemosa, SD.

5:30pm MST we entered the Custer State Park.  It is so beautiful here!  It reminds me a little like Tahoe in NV.  Mountainous, rocky, cool, forested and full of life!  (Well a different life compared to the Badlands).  

We reserved a campsite in the Lower Campground of the Center Lake Area (Elev. 4686 ft).  On our way to our site, we got an up close and personal sighting of Buffalo!!!! Ahhh, fell in love all over again!!!

Made our way to our site, set up camp and on our way to relaxation in a cool, SHADED area.

While Sean relaxed at the site, Nate and I went to the Center Lake. It was soooo nice to swim in this lake.   It was mostly a gravel bottom that dips off into a deeper lake. I didn't even attempt to try to determine the depth. Haha. But Nate and I swam to this rock cliff thing jutting out into the lake. Nate was in hopes that he could climb it and fall into the water, but to our disappointment there were many shallow submerged rocks that definitely prevented any form of jumping into the water.  It was really cool to see the geology in it: there was a basaltic dike!

After the evening swim, we ate tacos over the stove and then sleep time!

For Thursday: since we made it a little farther than we planned, we had a communal discussion to stay here another night and explore the Wind Cave National Park, Crazy Horse Memorial, and Mount Rushmore!

Xoxo,

TheChristyBel