While passing through South Dakota, we stopped at Badlands National Park, Mount Rushmore, and Custer State Park.
These are the waterfalls that Sioux Falls is named after. We stopped for a rest here on the way to the Black Hills area.
A typical view in Badlands National Park. Some of the formations have been similar to what we saw in Utah, but with different colors and grasslands at the bases of the valleys. This rock is fairly soft and erodes about one inch every year.
We caught this critter hanging out next to his burrow. Actually a rodent (not a dog at all), they create networks of underground chambers near each other. These are called Prairie Dog Towns (I kid you not.)
Note the white rump. No particular reason, I just thought they look funny with white rumps.
Starting from eastern South Dakota, there were endless billboards for Wall Drug, in Wall, South Dakota. It's basically the "South of the Border" of South Dakota. Of course, we had to stop.
Can you name the presidents? For extra points, why were these presidents selected to be in the sculpture?
We saw two "herds" of Asses (non-domesticated donkeys) in SD. They have apparently learned to block the road and approach the cars hoping to get food.
We drove through Custer State Park to see the herd of Bison there. What's the difference between a Bison and a Buffalo?
We saw many of these Pronghorn Antelope in South Dakota and Wyoming. They have beautiful coloring and are apparently a favorite of the hunters. These antelope are lucky enough to live in a state park, where hunting isn't allowed.
Also, note the white rump (look closely at the middle one.)
