The Badlands of South Dakota

During the waning months of my senior year of high school, some of my best friends and I decided to take a road trip to the Badlands of South Dakota. Having never been on a trip without my parents was one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. Taking the trip with several of my close friends and the experience we had hiking and camping with absolutely no light pollution made for amazing photography and a trip that none of us will soon forget.

The drive there was a great time as we packed two cars chock full of camping supplies, clothes, and food. Planning meals for a group of teenagers was a difficult task but we managed to get it right. However, our tents didn’t last too long as during the long colder nights it became very windy - eventually blowing our tents down. If it weren’t for our groups insane thinking skills and quick actions, we would have been homeless in the Badlands.

The daily hiking in the Badlands was full of fun with several grassy areas to run around in, and amazing trails that would take you to the tops of awesome jagged peaks. Basically around every corner you turned, you were greeted with an entirely different vista. Oh! And don’t forget Wall Drug! We really had a hard time finding it because we didn’t notice the thousands billboards advertising their 5 cent coffee and other tourist traps. In summary, getting there was easy, staying there was not, but it was full of crazy people doing crazy things (and we threw in a tacky South Dakota gift shop stop too). I’ll admit it was kinda cool, but a little much for me.