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Southwestern South Dakota

Praire Dogs! Success in photographing these little critters completely eludes me. All attempts to get close are immediately met with chirping alarms followed by hole-diving disappearance acts.

From time to time there are gasps of color and elevation (2nd photo) but they are far outnumbered by the shallow breaths of the lackluster, flattening terrain.

Sage Creek Basin Overlook.

A number of backcountry hiking trails spider out from Sage Creek Basin Overlook. To ensure trackability, adventure seekers are encouraged to register their intentions.

I'm just amazed at the variety of plant life around me. It's close to 100 degrees today and the plants are not only surviving, they're thriving. Built tough, the plants are well suited to live in a climate that provides only 15 inches of rain a year.