The Badlands

Just one week ago Saturday, when it was sunny, 70 degrees and calm, my cousin and I touristed the Black hills. The look is very unusual and temps normally feel much hotter then anywhere else in the state. Maybe that is why they call them the BAD lands. Just maybe the numerous Rattle snakes have something to do with the name too.

This is a close up of the rocky area. It looks like it would be very crumbly but it is hard and crusty rock. In my mind, it almost gives me the feeling of being on the moon.

It is very beautiful and the colors vary with the way the sun is hitting the rocky peeks and cliffs.

We decided to go on one of the hiking trails, that is y cousin up ahead of me.

This is me at another point closer to the end of the Badlands tour road.

While on the trail, we came up to this! I immediately wanted to turn back, but as you can see, we didn't and we made our way up these 56 log and chain steps. My cousin is afraid of heights and I think she really wanted to accomplish this feet.

If you look closely in the center of this picture, you can see those steps from across the gorge.
It was a good feeling to make it that far. YOU CAN CLICK ON THE PICTURE TO ENLARGE IT.

Only bad thing was, after we got to the end of the trail, we had to come back and YOU GOT IT! We had to make our way back down these 56 log steps.

It was much harder going back down then coming up!

It looks scary, right?

I could hardly believe there were flowers growing and blooming in this hard crusty rocky land.

These are creeping flox as I have in my front flower garden. I had never noticed them before, I guess unless they are blooming one would overlook them quite easily.

They were nestled in amongst these cactus.

I bet it will be pretty when the cactus are blooming too!

This picture was taken at the end of the trail, what a far beautiful seen.

GODS CREATION IS AMAZING

AND WHAT A VARIETY!