Badlands NP, South Dakota and Medora, North Dakota

We drove from Custer to Medora, North Dakota today where we will be for a couple of days so we can explore some of the south end of Theodore Roosevelt NP.  We will then move up to the north end of the park for a couple more days and check that area our before departing North Dakota.

I wanted to publish one more post from SD though as it is Badlands NP.  There was nothing "bad" about it that we could see;), but I imagine as a pioneer trekking across the plains having to cross this area in the summer with 80 plus degree temps and just as much humidity would be horrid.

note the deer on the left

baby prairie dog...awww

yep, the Badlands has it's own herd of bison

 We also spent a few hours at the Crazy Horse memorial.. I had no idea it had been in the works since 1946ish!  It is privately funded so we may never see it's completion in our life time.  It is quite something though, much larger than Mt. Rushmore it is supposed to eventually look like the sculpture below.  Quite a story behind it and the museums at the base of the mountain are full of wonderful Indian artifacts from all over: