From the Black Hills to the Badlands

South Dakota. For many, the name of the state evokes an image of Mt. Rushmore and a motorcycle rally in Sturgis. I have suspected for years that there was much more to SD than presidents' faces carved in a rock and a sightseeing visit was on my bucket list. This past May, a ranger at Lehman Cave, NV tipped me off about a cave, which was in the Black Hills of South Dakota. This, and the area's proximity to Denver (it's a mere 6-hour drive), elevated the SD trip to the top of my bucket list, and by September, my girlfriend and I were packing our bags for a 5-day adventure. While we did see places like Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse Memorial, and the haunted town of Deadwood, this post is focused on the nature-themed highlights of our trip.

Wind Cave National Park. We kicked off our trip with a visit to one of the largest caves in the world, Wind Cave National Park, where we joined a ranger-led tour. Before entering the cave, the ranger showed us the small natural entrance and demonstrated what led to the discovery of the cave: there was wind coming from the hole and this caused the ribbon she was holding to dance wildly. This "barometric wind" is explained by the difference in atmospheric pressure between the cave and the outside world. Native Americans knew about the natural entrance because of these whistling winds and considered the area sacred. In 1881, Jesse and Tom Bingham also discovered the entrance, and soon after the first humans entered (Wind Cave, 2016).

The first people in the cave witnessed a rare speleothem (cave formation) known as boxwork for the first time. While boxwork is present in other caves, it is especially bountiful and well-formed in Wind Cave. What's unique about boxwork is that while most speleothems form from dripping water, boxwork was likely created by difference forces. The entire explanation of the origins of boxwork remains a mystery, but one theory is that calcite veins filled fractures in limestone and dolomitic sediment and these sediments, less durable than the calcite, eroded over time. What remains after the weathering, is a series of thin veins that crisscross at different angles along the walls and ceiling producing an intricate network of boxes (Wind Cave, 2016). The photo below (actually taken at Jewel Cave since that photo was better) depicts boxwork.

Photo by Christi A.

Jewel Cave National Monument. This was the favorite cave of the tour guide we met at Lehman Cave, NV. Thus, I had big expectations. We met the ranger, who promptly escorted us via elevator the equivalent of 20 floors below ground. The doors opened, revealing a large cavern studded with glittering "jewels" and I was not disappointed. We descended through a series of passageways and high-ceilinged caverns, which showcased colorful and diverse formations including stalactites, stalagmites, dogtooth spar, nailhead spar, boxwork, popcorn, and bacon (mmm bacon -- it resembled greasy bacon so closely that my stomach growled a little).

This cave was simply amazing. If you only have time to visit one cave while in the Black Hills I would recommend Jewel Cave.

Photo by Christi A.

Custer State Park. This State Park is teeming with so much wildlife that I would liken it to a safari. We took the wildlife loop, which traversed through mid-grass prairies and ponderosa pine parklands and encountered pronghorns, mule and white-tailed deer, bison, a coyote, a Rocky Mountain goat, and a group of wild burros. Yes, you heard me right, there were burros. I didn't do my research before the trip so this was a fun surprise. Apparently, they were introduced by humans as pack animals for treks up the nearby summits, have since become feral, and now thrive in the Park. Visitors are likely to see these inquisitive creatures as they spend their time on the wildlife loop, begging for food. I welcomed the humor and eccentric charm that the burro squad brought to the park.

The State Park handout cautions visitors to take care around the burros as they are wild. Thus, I was at a loss when one of the burros stuck his entire head in our car. Luckily, he was not a vicious creature and when he realized I was one of those lame tourists who does not feed wildlife he moved on to the next car.

Photo by Christi A.

Pronghorns, aka antelope (although not a true antelope), are perpetually in motion and thus difficult to photograph. They run one direction, then unpredictably turn and run in the other direction. Although they seem indecisive, they are probably trying to confuse predators.

Expect to see lots of bison. At one point in the drive we saw around fifty of them, and then the chorus of "Home on the Range" started playing over and over in my head: Oh, give me a home where the buffalo roam, where the deer and the antelope play. Where seldom is heard a discouraging word, and the skies are not cloudy all day.

The Needles Highway, a National Scenic Byway that projects like a finger from the northwest side of Custer State Park, wanders through towering granite spires and offers incredible views such as the one below.

After driving most of the day, we welcomed an evening hike, which started from the Cathedral Spires Trailhead off the Needles Highway. The trail wanders through ponderosa pine, the endemic Black Hills spruce (Picea glauca var. densata), quaking aspen, and enormous granite boulders. ​Here's a photo of the Black Hills spruce and a backdrop of spires, which look like spruce that has been petrified to stone.

Less than a hundred feet into our hike, I saw a face peering at me through the spruce branches. The face belonged to a mountain goat. The animal surveyed me, then gracefully descended a large granite rock and crossed the trail in front of me. I learned that these animals were also introduced, possibly to promote tourism as in Colorado, and now call the Black Hills home.

As we approached the summit of Little Devil's Tower, blue spray-painted arrows guided us up the final scramble. At 6,980 ft. we had a 360 degree view, which showcased the Cathedral Spires, Black Elk Peak (the highest mountain in South Dakota, formerly called Harney Peak), the Black Elk Wilderness, and the back side of Mt. Rushmore. Here's a photo of C in her adventure skirt admiring the view from the summit.

Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway. Because we were in South Dakota while aspen were ablaze in Colorado, I was itching for a fall colors drive. The server at Custer's Bun and Burger (which has perhaps the tastiest black bean veggie burgers ever), told us that Spearfish Canyon was the place to see the best color, so off we went. By the time we entered the canyon, a heavy fog had descended. The narrow highway curved between thousand-foot-high limestone walls, the tops of which were sometimes completely obscured by mist. The moody weather intensified the gold, orange, and scarlet autumn foliage of aspen, paper birch and other deciduous trees.

Not seen in CO: Hophornbean (Ostrya virginiana)

Bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa)

Near the town of Savoy we turned off on a muddy road headed for Roughlock Falls. The road followed the stream pictured below.

Roughlock Falls and the beginning of autumn color -- we were about one week before peak. This was one of our last stops in the Black Hills and I did not want to leave, but Badlands N.P. was calling.

Badlands National Park. A barren, heavily eroded, bleak landscape, made bleaker by the whistling wind, chilly temps, and the rain that fell intermittently throughout the day. This is a land that requires patient observation of the visitor, as it may at first seem inhospitable, empty, and eerily quiet (when not windy). However, during our short time here, we not only saw a surprising amount of plant life, but we also saw much wildlife. We saw the bighorn sheep pictured below soon after entering the Park.

The geology of Badlands is fascinating as the buttes consist of layers and layers of sediment that tell a geologic story. I wish I would have read the following brochure before visiting:

https://www.nps.gov/badl/planyourvisit/upload/Geology-Bulletin.pdf.

In summary, the bottom layer was deposited during the Upper Cretaceous Period, when a shallow, interior sea known as the Western Interior Seaway spanned the Great Plains. As the Rocky Mountains began to uplift after the Laramide Orogeny, the sea slowly retreated, leaving behind a dark sediment known as Pierre Shale (approx. 77 to 68 mya). The upper layer of this shale was exposed to air and weathered into a yellow soil, known as Chadron Mounds. Ammonites and clams have been discovered in Pierre Shale (Badlands, 2017).

Between 37 and 32 mya, the sea gave way to a floodplain and the land was covered with a subtropical rainforest. During this time, layers of sediment were deposited each time the area flooded. These layers are collectively called the Chadron formation. Paleontologists and citizen scientist-visitors have found alligator fossils as well as titanotheres (rhinoceros-like creatures) in this formation (Badlands, 2017).

As the climate became more cool and dry, the subtropical rainforest succeeded to a savanna and new mammals began to dominate: one was the oreodont, a sheep-like animal. Two formations occurred during this time: the Brule and Sharps formations (32-26 mya), which are separated by a thick layer of Rockyford Ash. These two formations are seen in the more rugged peaks and canyons of the Badlands (Badlands, 2017).

Over time, wind and water eroded this sediment shaping it into the buttes, canyons, mesas, and spires we see today. The Badlands are relatively young, having been formed a mere 500,000 years ago, and their time here is brief as they will only be here 500,000 more years -- so go visit! Due to erosion they lose on average about an inch in height each year and a severe rain or windstorm can cause an entire peak to topple. The erosion exposes myriad fossils and each year visitors alert the Park staff of new finds (Badlands, 2017).

The photos above and below illustrate the surprisingly diverse plant life in lower areas where more water accumulates.

Here's a strange pairing: a drought-tolerant prickly pear cactus growing amongst a water-loving moss. Planting a cactus next to a moss goes against everything I was taught, but mother nature is able to pull it off.

In the afternoon, the weather was briefly more conducive to being outdoors so we went for a hike on the side of a dangerous cliff.

There was a ladder on the hike which was wet and slippery. I was wearing the Chaco sandals I bought circa 1999 and climbing the ladder with them reminded me of what it's like to be on a slip and slide. A thunder storm was brewing in the distance, one that would cause me to hurry down the same ladder 20 minutes later. By the time we reached the car, it was pouring rain.

Photo by Christi A.

On our way out of the Park at the end of the day, we challenged ourselves with an exercise where we chose the most desolate, degraded land to fix our eyes on. Seconds later, we observed an ecosystem teaming with life: Horned larks darted amongst the sparse grasses; Prairie dogs popped their heads out of their holes before scampering to another; A coyote loped along in the distance, headed directly for the prairie dog colony, looking for dinner. Even farther off a golden eagle sat on the ground, resting before an evening hunt. The sun was setting so we reluctantly continued on our way. As we exited the park, we saw two bald eagles, standing guard on two dead cottonwood trees. Well played, Badlands.

Devil's Tower National Monument, WY. Our trip was coming to an end and all that remained was the drive home. I quickly made the case to C of why we should drive out of our way several hours to see Devil's Tower, when both of us had to work the next day. I ended my case with: Wouldn't it be great to get one more stamp in our National Parks passport, honey? That did it.

Miles before we reached the National Monument, the 1,267 ft. high monolith began to loom in the distance. The butte, which formed approximately 40 MYA, is a type of igneous or volcanic rock called phonolite porphyry. As the magma from the volcano cooled and hardened it contracted forming long fractures and 3-8 sided columnar joints. You can see these columns in the photograph.

Devil's Tower, also known as Bear Lodge, is sacred to many Native American tribes and is also the subject of Native America folklore. According to the Kiowa and Lakota tribes, a group of girls were playing together when they were approached by bears who started to chase them. Fearful, the girls climbed atop a rock and began to pray to the Great Spirit. The Great Spirit heard their prayers and caused the rock to rise heavenwards with the girls still on top. The bears attempted to climb the rock, but it had become too steep for them, and in the process they left claw marks on the mountain. Eventually, the girls reached the heavens and turned into the stars of the Pleiades (Devil's Tower, Wikipedia), a cluster of stars commonly known as the Seven Sisters.

This tower is also a premier destination for rock climbers, which has understandably caused some controversy, given its sacred status. Can some places just be kept sacred?, I thought to myself. I wondered what would happen if someone tried to pound metal bolts for rock climbing into a Christian holy site.

The Tower Hike, which meanders through ponderosa pine forests and a bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa) woodland is a great way to see the Tower from different angles.

Before we left, we got our passports stamped, and agreed that Devil's Tower was worth the detour. The long drive home

across the sagebrush steppe wasn't too painful, and the monotony was broken when an intense storm rolled through. The sky became dark and bolts of lighting struck down all around us. A heavy rain began to pour, which turned into big hailstones that loudly pelted our car. I was grateful for the safety of the car, the crazy weather, and my co-adventurer, and wondered what our next adventure would bring.

Sources

An adventure in the depths of time: Badlands Archaeology. (n.d.). National Park Service. Retrieved from https://www.nps.gov/badl/planyourvisit/upload/Geology-Bulletin.pdf

Badlands National Park South Dakota. (2017). National Park Service. Retrieved from https://www.nps.gov/badl/index.htm

Devil's Tower National Monument Wyoming. (2017). National Park Service. Retrieved from https://www.nps.gov/deto/index.htm

Devil's Tower: Native American folklore. (n.d.). Wikipedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devils_Tower

Jewel Cave National Monument South Dakota. (2016). National Park Service. Retrieved from https://www.nps.gov/jeca/index.htm

Wind Cave National Park South Dakota. (2016). National Park Service. Retrieved from https://www.nps.gov/wica/index.htm