BAdlands National Park

We were in awe of the Park. The Badlands were created originally as the accumulation of sediment on the ocean floor that covered South Dakota millions of years ago. Created by the millions of shells and mollusks the natural sand, the ocean bed was mostly limestone stone and sandstone. When the oceans left the area, the limestone and sandstone weathered over millions of years of high winds and rains, creating the unearthly landscape that exists today.

We learned that the erosion forces that created the Badlands are still at work today. The rangers indicated that while slow, about an inch of the surface of the Badlands erodes each year. Given enough time, it will eventually be just flat bedrock.

The formations are fascinating. Because they are layered sediment formed on the ocean floor, where they have been eroded away into spires they display each of the many layers that took eons to create. The brown layers, followed by yellow, rust, orange and many other shades are totally distinct and easy to pick out.

When the settlers first moved here in the mid-1800’s they attempted to farm this land. As you can see, there are tableaus of flat, fertile land that could be farmed, while not easily. At first those who came were able to hammer out a meager existence. However, the area only sees an average of 16 inches of rain a year, and the amount in any year varies significantly. It didn’t take many crops to deplete the nourishment in the soil, and soon, with crops failing, the settlers abandoned their land.

We visited the home of one such settler. Mr. and Mrs. Ed Brown filed a claim and received 160 acres of land here under the Homestead Act of 1862. In order to claim title to their land, the act required that they be age 21, build a house, and cultivate crops in a small acreage for 5 years. Unlike many of their neighbors, Ed and his wife were able to accomplish this herculean feat.

With limited timber, the settlers often reverted to building homes into the side of a hill, covered with grassy land. That is how the early settlers here got the name “sod busters’. The Brown’s current home was built in 1909, and still exists today in much the same conditions as when they lived in it. Most of the furnishings were actually those of the Browns, making it very eerie to tour. The Woman said if I ever made her live like this, she would have to kill herself!

Badlands National Park was a good visit and worth the effort.  And, bonus! We didn’t spark any wildfires here, at least none that we know of yet!

Talk to you soon!