Badlands or Goodlands ... you decide

If you're traveling by wagon train, without the benefit of GPS, road signs or even an adequate map … badlands

If you are trying to farm, grow crops, livestock … most likely badlands.

If you want much rain … badlandsThe wildlife in this apparent "bad" land was everywhere. Perhaps because they knew their biggest predators, man, never really made a dent in this place and they were safe. Perhaps because they are better adapters than we humans are. Or perhaps we were just lucky with our timing and happened to catch sight of wildlife when we were out, (we were on an 'up and about near daybreak' routine while we were there, yes all you skeptics who know me … daybreak!)

If you are fascinated by worn rock deposits, ie buttes and pinnacles, some layered in fascinating colors … Goodlands

If you are a bighorn sheep, rabbit, deer (mule or white tail), black-footed ferret, prairie dog, pronghorn, bison or one of the many birds who live there … Goodlands

Western Kingbird

Western meadowlark

Black Billed Magpie

If you want the opportunity to discover a fossil while hiking … Goodlands

It is a hard place, cold in the winter, hot and dry in the summer, practically impassable but stunningly beautiful with the weathered buttes and pinnacles, some above and some below the mixed prairie landscape. It gives the impression of being on another planet, especially when driving through at night with the headlights flickering across these unique geologic features that just rise up out of the flat prairie.

Oh! And the sky! It goes on forever. Day and night. What a place to go stargazing. We went to a naturalist's talk on the "night sky". It was so interesting. They had several telescopes set up for us to look through at the end. And the milky way was just gorgeous, quite prominent and easy to see. At the beginning of the talk, the ranger asked how many people had seen the milky way. Less than half the people there raised their hands. It made me both sad that so many people never experience the night sky with its stars and also blessed that it is something that I've been able to witness nearly all my life.

I try to remind myself to never take for granted all the beauty that surrounds us each day.

And, the wildlife in this apparent "bad" land was everywhere. Perhaps because they knew their biggest predators, man, never really made a dent in this place and they were safe. Perhaps because they are better adapters than we humans are. Or perhaps we were just lucky with our timing and happened to catch sight of wildlife when we were out, (we were on an 'up and about near daybreak routine' while we were there, yes all you skeptics who know me … near daybreak!)

One funny anecdote then I'll move on to more pics. We saw a car with VT plates at an overlook. I was thrilled! We'd seen no signs of Vermonters in ages. The person was in the car so I, of course, knocked on the window to say hello. It turned out he was a 20 something from Bellows Falls, traveling alone, on a mission to explore and learn more about the country. And yes, all you doubters who are rolling their eyes right now (I'm mostly talking about my children!), he was actually delighted to meet us. He said he'd seen our car in the park. Somewhat embarrassingly, saying he'd taken a pic of the license plate and sent it to his mom to show her he wasn't the only Vermonter here. He then proceeded to show me the pic, and then said, "oh, I hope you don't think this is creepy, I was just so excited to see someone else from VT" 🤣🤣🤣❤️

We've met many interesting folks along the way and I'm sure we'll meet many more, but I think Vermonters are special❤️

The prairies of Nebraska and South Dakota as we drove north from Agate Fossil Beds to Badlands NP.

By that point we had entered Wall Drug territory. Their fairly amusing billboards were starting to show up on a regular basis.

The famous or infamous Wall Drug

Hitching posts in front of the store.

The free water (as advertised for miles and miles) …

and the famous "jackalopes".

The sun was setting when we arrived, giving us a taste of those incredible skies …

I loved the areas with tri-colored tiering

Some pinnacles and buttes are above the mixed prairie surface

and some are below the surface

More sky pics …

sunsets,

Sunrises,

Although we got up near sunrise often, one morning we actually got up early enough to see the sunrise.

Wildlife!

After the sunrise we went for a hike and saw this sweet doe having a morning snack.

And this little bunny took off down the trail.

Yikes, he looks pretty scared of us! 😂

"Maybe if I hide behind this grass they can't see me."

"Oh, hey! Look at this…this looks yummy. Maybe I'll just have a bite while I'm waiting for them to go."

Then there were prairie dogs!

These guys look like they're digging for oil. Teehee.

This guy isn't digging for oil. He knows what he likes.

"Yuuuuuuuuummy"

"Oh! Maybe I should try this one over here."

And there were bighorn sheep looking for just the right snack.

He thought this bush just might be it.

Oh yeah, this is the one!

Martin snapped a pic of "the photographer" taking pics of a mama and twin bighorn lambs.

(I took a lot of pics, they were adorable)

"Oh, hello "

Am I seeing double???

No, these little guys are just playing charades and they got the Pushme-pullyou of Dr Dolittle fame card.

"Enough charades, I'm bored and just lookin' for something fun to do … (I suppose mom would call it trouble ...)"

"Oh, I know, maybe we can jump over the edge?"

"Is that ok mom?"

"What do you think?"

"It looks far ... and ... steep... What do you think?"

"I think we should do it!

Last one down is a rotten egg!!"

And then … of course, the bison.

"I ask you, what's better than a roll in a prairie dog mound?"

"Aaaahhhhh. I feel good..."

"Are you lookin' at me?"

"Or me?"

Mama and her calf.

They call the young calves "red dogs". As they transition from milk to grass their coat changes from reddish light brown to the darker brown of the adults.

The herd.

It was incredible to drive up this little dirt road and come across hundreds of bison on the open range. (I kept having strains of "home on the range" in my mind and ear for weeks.)