Custer State Park, Black Hills, South Dakota

(8/28)

Today we were in the granite heart of the Black Hills, first stopping to view Mount Rushmore and then hiking around a high mountain lake.

Visitors were quiet at Mount Rushmore, as befits a national shrine. When we were there, all the flags were at half staff for the passing of Senator Ted Kennedy.

The scenery in the heights of the Black Hills really is quite dramatic, with granite spires standing tall above the dark spruce and pine trees.

Sylvan Lake, where we hiked, was quite beautiful with granite monoliths emerging from the water.

Although the growing season is ending, we're still seeing some nice wildflowers.

Wind Cave National Park, Black Hills, South Dakota

(8/27)

Today, we had our introduction to the Black Hills, which are actually mountains, higher than the Appalachians at 7,000 feet.

We hiked a canyon below Triassic red sandstone cliffs on the periphery of the Black Hills . . .

. . . then stopped to see Precambrian igneous rock in the park's interior.

Today was also our first day to see big wildlife. The biggest were the Bison . . .

. . . a point brought home by the huge leg bone Tom found on the trail.

But the most exciting were the Pronghorns, and we first saw them before we even got into the park. We spied a group of them from the highway, resting in the prairie hills, so stopped and observed (and photographed) them through a spotting scope. There was a big male with horns and a harem of 14 females. After a while, they suddenly got up and bounded away a short distance, then the male herded them in a different direction. About this time, Judy pointed out a Coyote not too far from them. Eventually, the Coyote disappeared from view, and we left them, still standing and alert.

Badlands National Park, South Dakota

(8/26) The Badlands aren't bad--they're beautiful!

Visible in these jagged hills are layers of sediments deposited as far back as 75 million years ago, first by an inland sea, then by rivers carrying sand, silt, clay, and volcanic ash from the emerging Rockies.

The area of badlands is gradually moving northward as tributaries of the White River erode away the sediments from the south.

Within the park, the prairies adjoining the badlands have prairie dog towns. Judy discovered that she has a soft spot in her heart for prairie dogs!

Approaching the Badlands

(8/26)

As we approached the Badlands, patches in the rolling hills of South Dakota would shine bright yellow.

Sunflowers!