Bad (ass) Lands and Buffalo Gap

Day 4

After a full day of driving from Rochester, MN I rolled into South Dakota and was ready to hit some sites. I think I made the right call getting a hotel the previous evening, as I was fresh and able to drive all day.

As I rolled into SW South Dakota I started hitting sites beginning with The Minuteman Missile Monument. While this was only a quick visit – they were getting ready to close for the day shortly after arriving. I took a quick tour, and more importantly, started amassing new stickers and patches to add to the growing collection. Some people track National Parks with logbooks and the like. I go for the stickers and patches. The adorn the back of the jeep, the cooler, water bottles, and just about any open surface I can stick one too.

I left the MM Silos and headed into Bad Lands National Park. This was a park I have visited before, but it never ceases to amaze the senses. There is a 29-mile loop that winds through some of the more stunning features of the park, but I deviated off after about 10 miles as I came across a dirt road that had to be explored. This is where I spotted my first Pronghorns of the trip!

I made a quick detour to visit Mt. Rushmore – a National Park that has been on my list for a while, but until now, I hadn’t been able to check off the list. I think I was there for all of 15 minutes – as it was getting late in the day and I still need to find my way to camp.

After a few pics and quick stop off at the gift shop, it was time to head towards camp. Based off a recommendation from a fellow overland, I decided to stay a remote spot along French Creek, a primitive campground in Buffalo Gap, part of the National Grass Lands. If you are looking for some peace and quiet, and don’t mind pit toilets, this is a great option. I had the place to myself. Having skipped lunch, I quickly setup camp and got to prepping dinner and got ready to retire to the tent for the evening. After a very hot day, with temperatures getting close to 100 (but it’s a dry heat), the evening cooled off perfectly.

The biggest benefit of being so far out was there was absolutely no light pollution, and the star gazing was second to none. With clear skies forecasted, I was able to sleep with the fly on the tent, thus providing me great views through the skylight in the tent. The one downside, the dew point come morning. I woke to the drip, drip, drip of condensation from the outside of the tent finding its way to my pillow. Not to worry, with another hot day ahead of me, everything would have time to dry out.

I spent the better part of the morning exploring the dirt backroads the crisscross the area, eventually making my way to Wind Cave National Park. This will be one I come back to on a future trip, as it appeared there would be many opportunities for some great remote camping. I think all told, I have close to 200 miles in the dirt today! And while none of it was very technical, that is what I came out here to do. As a bonus, I came across of herd of what appeared to be wild donkeys.