The Bad, the Black, and the Underground

One would assume that after so many weeks on the road and numerous park visits that the thrill (or rather the excitement) that comes with arriving at a destination would fade over time or possibly become monotonous. Well, as we enter our 3 month mark, we can attest to the opposite.
With each new place, we are still experiencing the anticipation and giddiness of what adventures we may find ahead.  More so for places that we have "been to" before, but want to explore again this time around. This was the exact scenario for Badlands National Park.  

Back in 2010 we drove my first MR2 from Idaho to Pennsylvania through one small section of the Badlands, not even doing any hikes... just a few hours and some quickly snapped photos from the road.  Even with that small taste, I knew there was something special in that rugged and dramatic landscape that I wanted to see more of.  Since then, I have been nagging Karl about my desire to give this particular park the time and energy it deserved.  Enraptured, I was by the Badlands, as we visited it a second time... and it did not disappoint.

I do not wield magic with words, usually letting my photos tell the stories but if I had to put a descriptor phrase to Badlands it would be this: deceptively beautiful.

The beautiful part is easily explained.  

Everywhere you look there are jagged lines that cut across the horizon, vivid colors you never expected, abundant wildlife including bison, deer, bighorn sheep, prairie dogs, pronghorns, coyotes, etc, and the best night skies I have ever witnessed. 

The deceptive part is what makes this park though. What you think is hard ground, crumbles like sand under your feet/what looks soft is unforgiving; Colors change with vivid differences along with the lighting of the day; temperatures fluctuate with the wind and shadows; and when the boardwalks or establish trail ends, you are just beginning and are encouraged to explore further!

At first, we began by taking the typical recommended boardwalk and trail jaunts that are popular and easily accessible.  

Karl immediately made the whole area (railings included) his own parkour gym to jump around and play on. It was like letting a starving kid loose in a candy store. 

After a few small hikes, we got some recommendations at the visitor center on what else to do (this is now a standard for us- talk to a ranger about what cool things to do) and then drove the long road through the park to the Sage Creek Campground. It is a free, first come first serve large open primitive campground, where the bison like to roam just as much as the people. 

We even witnessed a guy that got too close to a bison that was wandering within the camp, get chased and within inches of being hooked on a big bison horn... All within a few yards of where we were parked.  I, being the brave soul that I am, climbed on top of Ele to watch the drama go down from a safe, non-bison trampling distance.

Once the bison established that he was the boss and things settled down, the real show began... the stars came out like I have never seen them before.  We took the moonroof completely out of Ele, and just stared up at the stars all night (and attempted some nighttime long exposure shots too, as you might have seen on Instagram *cough cough @krenbic cough cough*).  

And that is probably the moment I fell in love with this place. The next day, we ventured "off trail" (I put this in quotes because we followed a bison path, so there was something of a trail to explore) up to a place called Deer Haven.  

Getting off the beaten path is easier than some National Parks due to the nature of the land and how much erosion (at least an inch per year) that occurs either way, so a few footprints in the back country that will disappear after a good wind or the first rainfall are inconsequential.  

So, we chased deer mice through the tall grasses, climbed crazy spires and pinnacles, and even followed a coyote through a dry creek bed.  

Funny to think how we seek these crazy routes of cliffs and ravines which frustrated earlier travelers, all in order to gain that visual "gateway to forever" for a view that can stretch for miles and find solitude beyond compare.

After getting all hot and sweaty on that exploration, we decided to take a drive along Sheep Mountain Table in the Stronghold Unit of the Badlands. 

It was a beautiful (yet sometimes sketchy) drive that Karl wanted to take to see how far Ele could go on rough terrain. Seriously, there were points that the car was at such an extreme angle or the grasses were taller than the roof... 

but Karl and Ele did it, and I just enjoyed the bumpy ride!

I could go on and on about the Badlands, but instead I will just leave a photo of a colorful sunset.

Enough of the "Bad"... onto the "Black".  After leaving the Badlands, we of course visited Wall Drug and if anyone had ever driven through South Dakota, you have seen the signs for this place, everywhere.

After riding the jackalope, we continued towards the Black Hills. With Labor Day Weekend approaching, we wanted to stake a claim on a campsite and set up the kingdom before all the weekend warriors did, so we found a first come site at Grizzly Creek, near Mt. Rushmore.  Once again, we visited this area before to see the stoney faces but, never at night... 

Honestly, the monument is much less crowded (we had the place to ourselves) and very cool to witness by the spotlights that pierce through the shadows of the night.  But, the highlight of this area were the rocks around those rocky faces. 

Yep, lots of climbing. 

On sharp crystal-like rock. And we learnt a lot, like how to get a rope unstuck from a razor edge... 

Good Times. 

Once we spent a few days reaching the tops of cliffs, we decided to descend under them next. Onto the "Underground" portion of the trip. Wind Cave National Park was an easy and beautiful drive along the Iron Mountain Road and Needles Highway. 

The cave system is one of the largest and most complex caves in the world, and much of it is still being discovered.  Seriously, there is a whole world hidden underneath the prairie lands. We attempted to get on a "Wild Cave" tour, which would have been 4 hours of crawling on hands and knees through the less visited parts of the cave, but sadly, only 1 spot opened up... And if both of us couldn't do it, neither of us would.  Instead we took the standard/most popular option, Natural Entrance Tour that allowed us to see the small hole that would breath with the wind and was the first way people entered this unknown abyss.  People no longer attempt to slink their bodies into this small opening, choosing to use the elevator shaft they installed later as a less claustrophobic option BUT, with that said... I can fit into the Natural Entrance! 

This tour was one of those look (and take photos) but don't touch, kind of experiences.  

Photos taken inside the cave though can never encompass all the sensations of being down there or portray the beauty of the formations truly (the cave is best known for its wonderful boxwork formations).

Loving the cooler temperatures, eerie winds, and spectacular formations we took the chance on a second tour...  the Historical Candlelight Tour.  And, just like it sounds, you enter the caves with just the light of a small candle.  No cameras were allowed on this excursion (yes, normally I would complain about that) but the experience of only seeing what a small flicker of flame above a wax candle contained in a old tin bucket could illuminate is in itself well... illuminating.  The smell of the wax and smoke; the blowing out of your candle to plunge yourself into the most complete darkness you have ever known; the ability to walk on and touch parts of the cave only few have the chance to is daunting and magnificent (as long as you aren't afraid of the dark, or tight spaces)!

Enjoying the cave experience so much/taking advantage of being the the area, the very next day we visited Jewel Cave National Monument and took the scenic tour.  

Another underground world, yet still so very different. 

The maze of passageways and splendid fragile formations found in these expansive cave systems are so mysterious yet magical, a hidden environment that baffles me yet I want to immerse myself into more... I admit- I caught the caving fever and am so glad these places are national parks/monuments and I can't wait to explore more.

<3S