We really didn't know what to expect - what are "The Badlands"? This name was given to them by French trappers in the early 1800's because they were lands that were so bad to cross.
The Park is 244,000 acres, 50% of which is in the Oglala Lakota Nation. The Park is considered one of the world's richest mammal fossil beds. The "South Unit" portion of the Park contains may sites sacred to the Oglala Lakota and other Native American cultures.
---The Badlands, formed over millions of years by volcanic activity and erosion, have vibrant colors caused by mineral deposits - striking colors like pink, grey, yellow, orange, tan and purple.
