Up Against "The Wall"

Fred n' Erma do the Badlands...

The Badlands is an indescribable experience, which photographs really don't/can't capture at all. 

First of all, you're on the prairie, which essentially is a flat, wall to wall, 360 degree horizon with straight as an arrow roads. This area of the Badlands is also referred to as "The Wall". It's like the floor has dropped out from beneath you; first there's prairie...and then there's not. 

It's a stretch of desolate landscape one-half to three miles wide and about twenty miles long; think of the beach with miles and miles of giant drip castles. Essentially, "The Wall" is a barrier separating you, from the White River Basin (or vice-versa). And by the way, the "White" really does look white; It looks thick as chalk. We stayed at White River KOA underneath the cottonwoods; it was super.

Wall Drug

At the end of the park loop is the town of Wall, South Dakota. The dominant attraction here is "Wall Drug". Started by a pharmacist, he barely made it through the '30's and started giving away free ice water to passing tourists. Today, it's 76,000 square feet of tourist nirvana. 

If you're from the east, think "South of the Border" on I-95. It offers belts, boots, hats, trinkets, magnets and ohhhh sooooo sooooo much more. 

Regretfully, I have to report that, it was here my Sweet Pea succumbed to the dark side. Yes, she was caught in the act...