T H E   B A D L A N D S   -   D A Y   # 2

Monday, August 23, 2004

My second to last picture of the day, my camera is close to running out of film. The White River can be seen off in the distance. Can you see it? Over the millennium, the White River once deposited sediment in the region as a result of the formation of the Rocky Mountains to the west. At that time, there was a huge, continental lake that slowly drained to the east as a result of the rising Rockies. Since then, the White River has played a reverse role, carrying away all the sediment that slowly washes out of the region when it rains and hence, formed the Badlands as we know them today.

I've really enjoyed my van tour of the Badlands. One of the things I like most about them is they are deceiving. I had always thought them to be very hard but in reality they are made of soft, pliable clay with layers of soft wormhold sandstone. Another enjoyable thing about this area is you feel like you're on another planet when you drive through the bizarre formations.

After my Badlands tour the day winds down as I continue driving through the southeastern portion of the park. I decide to spend another night in one of the park's campgrounds and arrive just before nightfall. I'm told there's going to be a presentation by the Park Service at 8:30pm about the Minuteman Missile. Now that seems rather strange. A missile?

I find a suitable campsite then park the van. I then start to wonder what the Minuteman Missile has to do with the Park Service. Curiosity gets the best of me and I decide to check it out. On the way to the amphitheater I witness this beautiful sunset.

The presentation is given by Ranger Lovelace who talks about the Park Service's newest acquisition, a Minuteman Missile Launch Facility. The area to the north and northeast of the Badlands was once filled to the gills with Minuteman Missiles. Since then they have all been deactivated but one was not completely destroyed, rather, the government handed the keys over to the Park Service.

The Park Service currently provides tours of the missile sight but you can't actually get into the bunker where the missileteers used to work because there isn't an emergency exit, there is only one way in. So for public safety it has been deemed off-limits.

After the presentation I return to the van and retire for the evening. Tomorrow would be a day of hiking in the Badlands.