The Badlands lie across a narrow strip at the edge of the Great Plains, in the western areas of North and South Dakota. This is a forbidding region, with fiercely eroded remnants of ancient grasslands morphed by extreme weathers over time. Frozen during the winter and gravely dry in the summer, this region is often described to be too stark to enjoy by passing tourists. But ironic as it is, its theatricality is the park’s main attraction. In 1862, the Dakota Indians called it mako [land] sica [bad]. But besides its name and physical history, the Badland’s allure is revealed in its striated beauty. The sky is constantly lit by red, blue and purple hues that are reflected by the ancient rock formations that carve its landscape. There is an agility to the Badlands, but it is not meant for humans to conquer.
