Headed to Mount Rushmore?
Stop at Badlands on the way.
After all, theNational Parks Serviceveteran laughs, “it’s called Badlands!”
Credit: worldofphotos/Getty Images
Czazasty walked us through some of her favorite things to see and do in the South Dakota park.
Not hands-on enough for you?
Wanna-be paleontologists can take advantage of what’s called an “open hike policy.”
This wonderfully geeky tradition results in hundreds of such reports, says Czazasty.
Plan well in advance for the former, and get there early for the latter, Czazasty suggests.
And if you’re planning on venturing out into the park, youmustbring a compass and a paper map.
A guided ranger walk is one of the most fun things to do in Badlands National Park.
You’ll learn about the mixed-grass prairie country, the geology, and the animals.
You might spy bison, hear the distinctive trill of a meadowlark, or even encounter endangered black-footed ferrets.
“We have a big artist-in-residence program here at the park.
Whether they’re photographers or painters, the light is constantly changing the look of the Badlands.”
