Northern Midwest Road Trip; South Dakota
- Maryann
- Jun 14, 2016
- 2 min read
We began our trip leaving the Cleveland area and driving to Schaumburg, Illinois to visit Legoland Discovery Center. We spent one night in Schaumburg, embarking on a grueling drive along I-90 through Minnesota and over to Sioux Falls, South Dakota. We stayed in Sioux Falls for only one evening, but we did visit the famous Falls Park. Early the next morning, we headed for Badlands National Park, stopping briefly at Wall Drug. Wall Drug was everything I read it would be: touristy Americana and good fun. We had a lunch of bison burgers, looked at the backyard area, took lots of pictures and drank the "free" water which put Wall Drug on the map.
Getting back on the road, driving another long stretch of seemingly endless flat lands, we saw in the distance a hint of the Badlands. The many hours of flat grasslands only made the towering mud fortresses of the Badlands appear even more strange and other-worldly. We never realized that the formations in Badlands National Park were more mud than stone. Apparently, these formations lose about one inch per year. There is not much to do in close proximity to Badlands National Park so be sure to plan a hike along the trails and take part in the Ranger-led tours.
We hiked Notch Trail which is an out and back trail with a moderate rating. We loved this hike. We were the only ones on the trail which consisted of various elevations, steep cliffs, a ladder made of logs and a cavern filled with birds that would swoop in and out of the cave with a whoosh of sound. At the end of the trail was a beautiful view of the Badlands.
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