Custer to Wall

This morning dawned cold, gray and damp. I knew that the drive to Wall and the Badlands was only a couple of hours, and I also knew that the conditions and light would remain pretty constant throughout the day. So I took my time packing up and getting on the road.

I arrived in Badlands National Park around midday. I stopped at the visitor center and Ed gave me some tips on navigating the park. This is one of those parks that is mostly a driving loop, with only a few foot trails. Ed advised that the trails would be icy and treacherous, and if I decided to do any of the hikes, I should consider adding the cleats that I purchased last year for sure footing. As I started driving around the park, it also became clear that the boardwalks had iced over. As I was just getting a preliminary feel for the park, and I knew I had two full days to explore, I decided to hold off on venturing too far out until I could get geared up. It was also quite cold - the high was 27 degrees - and there was a significant wind, making it feel more like about 15 degrees. So another layer will be in order. The next few days promise to be even colder, although sun is predicted for tomorrow.

I will spend the next two days exploring Badlands National Park and the surrounding area.