As part of our homage roadtrip to explore a part of Theodore Roosevelt’s conservation legacy, we did a lollipop loop hike in South Dakota’s Badlands National Park. The park spans some 242,756 acres (982.4 km2) but there are developed trails only in its southeast corner near the visitor center. We elected to start at the Fossil Exhibit Trailhead, go east on the Castle Trail to its junction with the Medicine Root Trail near the Old Northeast Road, and then loop back on that trail (and the Castle Trail) to our starting point.
After two days of clouds, wind, and rain, we were graced with an absolutely perfect blue sky day for a hike! 🙂 When it’s nice on the Great Plains, it’s really nice (of course the opposite is true too 😦 ). For most people this park is a drive through (but still scenic) experience but we were pleased to find more than a few people out enjoying the trails and scenery with us. Contrary to its non-indigenous name (les mauvais terres pour traverse) it proved to be an amazingly beautiful place for a hike. 😀
BOOTS on the TRAIL 
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