Badlands National Park, South Dakota

Friday afternoon after leaving Blue Mounds State Park we headed off toward the Badlands National Park in South Dakota.  On our way we passed this little chapel!  Of course we stopped, took a few pictures, and peeked inside!

 These little prairie dogs are all over the place darting in and out of their holes.

We stopped along the road and tried feeding them cereal out of our hands.

We set up camp in the Badlands and had the camping experiance of our lives...wind gusts up to 60 m.p.h., rain, thunder, lightning, broken tent poles, a ripped rainfly, and nine people sleeping in one van all made for a memory!  The storm calmed down a bit around midnight and people were walking around looking for their tents and other things that had blown away!  Saturday morning we went for a hike along the Notch Trail.  When Daddy first told us we were going to the "Badlands" we were all like, "Why are they called 'Badlands'?" Aside from our "bad" camping experiance the Badlands is a nearly impossible place to grow crops because there is no water!  No water in the blistering heat of summer, the chilling cold and roaring north winds in the winter kinda give you an idea of why they are the Badlands!  :) 

Of course Lillia and Hope started climbing as soon as we arrived! :)

Don't look down!

We found this shady spot and took a break from the scorching sun!

Can you spot Hope waaay up there?! :)

We arrived at the notch and had a beautiful view of the White River Valley.


Taking a peek over the edge...

See the sign; Dangerous Clift Keep Left?

I was a little worried about this area of the trail!!

We have to go back down the ladder?!

Daddy decending with David on his shoulders.  Don't slip!

Elainah and Daddy
Hang on Elainah!

                                  David and Daddy                                         Water girl! :)

Safely back from our hike we packed up and headed on toward Mt. Rushmore!