The Badlands of South Dakota hold a special place in my heart. When I was a kid we drove by on a family vacation but didn’t have the time to go in. For some reason they captured my imagination. I never forgot the sight of the forbidding sandy erosions beckoning over the grassland in the distance.

As a family we finally visited in 2000, and ever since this has been a place I have explored, hiked, camped in, and loved, dozens of times. This time we were dispersed camping on “The Wall,” just outside the eastern entrance—a place I have always wanted to camp. (As seen in the movie Nomadland, and this somewhat completes our camping tour of Nomadland sites. Excepting the Amazon distribution center.)

The weather is a major character in any Badlands adventure and this time was no different. The evening and sunset was cool and breezy but spectacular. Overnight was a constant radar watch. A few systems missed us but the other shoe finally dropped at about 4AM. Thankfully the rain mostly missed us but the wind whipped up furiously pushing the trailer back and forth. The Badlands can really dish it out. Watched a couple tent groups in the distance battling the blasting wind and trying to pack up. I have been in storms that have flattened the tent against my face and this was one of those. As the sun rose it did not let up. Then at about 6:30 I spotted a huge black blob of rain and thunder (and probably hail) on its way to us, so we packed up quickly and got the hell out of there. Did not want to get stuck in the mud in a torrent.

Thanks for another memorable stay, Badlands. You did not disappoint. We will be back for more splendor, and more punishment.