As we arrived at the Badlands National Park, I overheard a woman telling her husband, "It's like landing on the moon."

And, in a way, I found that comment to be quite on target. The Badlands, named as such by both the Lakota (mako sica) and the French (les mauvaises terres à traverser), rise up from the flat prairie defiantly, brilliantly, mysteriously and looked as rugged and empty as the moon.

Comprised of buttes, valleys, canyons and impressive jagged peaks, the Badlands National Park consists of three units totaling more than 240,000 acres. Broad regional uplift raised the land about 5 million years ago - wind and rain, over the next 5 million years continued to erode the rock and created what we now know as the Badlands.

Although the landscape may look like the moon, it's practically overflowing with animal and plant life. Buffalo, bobcats, bighorn sheep and mountain lions mingle with rabbits, prairie dogs and bats. And millions of years of history are fossilized in the Badlands, making it a valuable resource for scientists and paleontologists.

So what's there to do in the Badlands? Plenty! Hike, camp, explore the area by foot or by car (beware: summer temps can be excruciatingly hot) - just don't blink, you don't want to miss a thing!

H O T   T I P :

When visiting the Badlands, take the time to stop off for lunch or dinner at the nearby (and infamous) Wall Drug, where you'll find one of the tastiest buffalo burgers around. Also sample their homemade cake doughnuts and ice cream - you won't be disappointed.

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