Badlands/Wall Drug

 The last two days have been spent doing several hikes and also a drive out to Wall Drug.  

Sunday we did three shorter hikes getting to walk not only on trails but on the mounds themselves.  Unfortunately, photos can not do justice to the sights.  There was some nostalgia of when we brought the boys here — Andrew was my climbing buddy and Dave reminisced about how he scared Brian on the Door trail.  

We did get to see a Bighorn sheep.  300 were reintroduced to the Badlands. They did have a disease go through and now there are only 90.  They have collars with tracking devices so that they can find them to vaccinate and see where they go.  

We also went to Prairie Dog town about 5 miles out a dirt road.  Lots and lots of holes and I saw at least 20 running, standing and yapping.   Dave took those on his Nikon, so I have no access, you will have to use your imagination.

We then traveled out to Wall Drug.  This is now a big tourist attraction, but the story behind it is quite interesting.  In 1931 Ted and Dorothy Hustead wanted to open a pharmacy.  Ted had graduated in 1929 and had two years experience.  Their criteria was it had to be a small town in Nebraska or South Dakota and it had to have a Catholic church.  In Wall they found a pharmacy for sale and a Catholic church.  So they set up shop in the town of 326 people.  They struggled as the town was very poor.  Ted even learned some about animals to help the farmers.  They said they would give it 5 years.  So long and short it was almost 5 years and they were still struggling.  They were making a living, but knew there had to be a way to get people to come in from the highway.  It was really hot and Dorothy’s idea was to offer free ice water.  As people drove along the hot prairie, ice water was a treat and then they bought ice cream there as well.    Who would know something so simple would bring people in, but it did.  The next summer they hired 8 girls to help and the rest, as they say, is history.  At this time Wall Drug is run by third Generation Husteads.  They flyer I read said on a good summer day Wall Drug can have 20,000 visitors.  Currently they have a pharmacy, a restaurant, an ice cream parlor and lots of gifts and souvenirs.  They have a “back yard”  that has various statues and things to sit and pose.  They have a museum of old photos, etc, etc.

  

Dave wanted to see the jackalope in the back yard.  He remembers the kids having lots of fun when we were there 12 years ago.  He also recreated his kiss.

Before the last night program of AstroFest the rangers did some Q&A.  They said that there are fossils found in the park every day.  They also said that the Bison here are the most pure in the National Park system and therefore the largest.  We did not see any Bison.  

Today, July 8th, we walked the Notch Trail, which took you high on the Badlands.  Dave guesstimated we had about a 20 mile view or so.  The ladder we took to get up one side of the wall was not as bad as it looks. 

When we completed that trail, we went on another 4 mile hike through meadows and formations.    There were some white flowers among the yellow that as you walked by the smell was so powerful and pleasant.

When you are wearing hiking boots and a Tilley hat, it’s a good day.

Tomorrow we travel to Medora, North Dakota to Theodore Roosevelt National Park.