Badlands in USA – history, photo, description, map
In the state of South Dakota, on the foothills of the Great Plains in the United States, there is a place that, according to experienced travelers, can be called one of the most sinister in the world. These are the so-called Bad Lands or Badlands. Many people who come here for the first time involuntarily have a feeling of anxiety and fear: indeed, bare rocks sticking out of the ground like the teeth of a giant dragon, rugged rocky land, narrow gorges do not inspire optimism. The area is more like a scenery for some science fiction film that tells about the adventures of heroes on an extinct planet. No wonder since the 18th century. this region was called a disastrous place, even the most courageous hunters were wary of entering there.
How did the Badlands originate?
Badlands (Badlands) were formed as a result of many years of exposure to wind and rain on clay soil. Over time, the earth, consisting of layers of clay and other non-solid rocks (including brown coal, whose age is about 55 million years) was eroded (eroded), the original relief underwent strong changes: deep ravines and cracks appeared on one side, and the other – hills and outgrowths were formed. The depth of some erosion cracks is 100–130 m. Compressed brown coal has the ability to easily ignite and smolder for a long time – for centuries. As a result, the clay layers surrounding them hardened and acquired the color of red brick, changing shades depending on the lighting. Moreover, the terrain is constantly changing, the next soil layers are washed out, so the Badlands are a real joy for paleontologists. It is in the badlands that the remains of extinct animals and prehistoric plants are most often found, which appear on the surface after the next downpour. Badlands USA is a National Paleontological Preserve.
There are bad lands not only in the USA: they can be seen in Canada, New Zealand, and Kazakhstan. However, the most famous are the Badlands in South Dakota. Badlands here cover an area of approximately 9,000 square kilometers between the White River and the Cheyenne. They extend over 200 km in length and 4 km in width. Tourists, first of all, are attracted by the unusual coloring of the Bad Lands: multi-colored sandstones and clays have combined in a bizarre way, forming fantastic drawings on the rocks.
Nature of the Badlands
Dry clay soil is not the most favorable conditions for the habitat of flora and fauna. Vegetation in the Badlands is very poor, and there are no agricultural crops here at all: numerous randomly located ravines, interspersed with narrow rocky ridges, do not contribute to the economic use of these lands. By the way, that's why this place got a “bad” name. Here you will not see trees or a cozy clearing pleasing to the eye with forbs, all the plants found are inconspicuous, have an inexpressive appearance. Travelers come here for other experiences: to feel like an astronaut conquering another galaxy or a scientist-inventor who created a time machine and found himself on Earth at the moment of its formation.
Badlands is a place for collectors of the most unusual places on the planet. Such travelers have expanse here: where else can you see a rock that has the shape of a huge octopus, or miraculous – created by nature itself – rock paintings. Moreover, the landscape is constantly changing: early in the morning, when the Sun is just emerging from the horizon, the tops of jagged rocks become red, and in the evening the darkness of the gorges thickens even more and it seems that a terrible unprecedented monster is about to appear from their depths. At this moment, almost all those who are here are seized with insurmountable horror – in any case, the daredevils who wished to stay in the Bad Lands for the night have not yet been observed.
What else can you see in the park
The animal world is still present here, or rather, in the part where the prairies (wild steppes) begin. The prairie takes up quite a large area of NP Badlands. Here you can meet rabbits, mountain goats and even antelopes. But the most common inhabitants are prairie dogs. The animals got this name not at all because they look like ordinary dogs – they have nothing to do with pets. In appearance, prairie dogs resemble squirrels with frayed tails, but their voice resembles a bark. Animals live in minks dug to a depth of 3-5 meters, and feed on grasses and insects. In the Badlands National Park, there are several habitats for prairie dogs (they are also called prairie dogs). Their “towns” are marked on the map, which is given to each traveler when buying a ticket to enter the park. It's worth bearing in mind
Prairie dogs are very wary. Moreover, each “town” has its own watchman who gives signals if outsiders enter the territory. But you can try to lure them: nuts are sold at gas stations near the entrance to the national park (the animals love peanuts, but you need to buy not salty ones!). Although dogs will not fit at close range anyway, in general, it is not recommended to feed them.
And yet, most people come here just to see the unique landscape. Moreover, according to tourists who have visited the Bad Lands, the very first impression that they had when approaching the Badlands was suddenness. A person is accustomed to gradual changes, but here the terrain changes in one moment: there were rivers, cornfields, green lawns, and suddenly – a rocky, gloomy area, dotted with ravines and narrow gorges. The NP Badlands National Park was established in 1978 and has been protected by the state ever since. Bad Lands are considered one of the most unique national parks not only in the United States, but throughout the world and attract numerous tourists who are not afraid of the difficulties and bad reputation of this corner of the Earth.