Badlands are geological regions where sedimentary rocks and soil rich in clay become exposed due to extensive erosion through wind and water. Due to the heavy erosive action of wind and water, badlands tend to take on very dramatic steeply gullied ridge shapes, with brilliant bands of contrasting colors from the multiple layers of sediment deposited over the eons becoming uncovered. Landscape of this type has come to be known as badlands, due to the difficulty of travel through them, especially for the Native Americans and early explorers in the region. Badlands National Park in South Dakota is not the only location where this landform is found, but it has a very high concentration of badlands over a large land area. Over a 47 million year period through the Cretaceous, Late Eocene, and Oligocene Epochs, the different layers of sediments were laid down, and remained buried for some time until the wind and water action gradually exposed the layers in ridges. The Wild Images Team has visited this National Park on a few occasions for photography. While most shots will show a larger landscape of badlands in which they appear smooth and banded at a distance, we decided to also take a closer up image to show the true texture of a typical badland mound. Immediately noticeable is the cracked and colorfully mottled surface. The Wild Images Team has captured many other images from South Dakota such as the bright flash of a colorful lightning strike over the badlands, the moment that a pronghorn displays its phenomenal physique, and the time that a massive bison bull came meandering past, each of which are available for sale in our store. Blog posts from South Dakota have documented the centuries long carving of the massive Crazy Horse Monument, the very majestic Mount Rushmore and the Avenue of Flags, the expansive view as wild burros walk through the rolling prairies, the ever wary prairie dog stands at attention in the prairie, the amazing location of the granite roadways through Custer State Park, when The Wild Images Team encountered a remote end of trail sign in the middle of nowhere, this close up image of textures in a colorful badlands mound, the interesting time when a flock of turkeys photobombed our image, and The Wild Images Team sunset shadows over Badlands National Park. In neighboring North Dakota, The Wild Images Team has captured images such as the contrast created by the horizontal color bands cross through yellow badlands and the entire herd as a group of wild horses cluster together on a hilltop, each of which are available for sale in our store. Blog posts of North Dakota have documented the herd of bison grazing in the grasslands and the ever changing colorful badland mound that caps a rolling ridge. In neighboring Wyoming, The Wild Images Team has captured images such as the contrast found in the colorful grasslands and background Grand Teton National Park peaks, the varying landscape of Grand Teton National Park rocky peaks and clouds, the large antlers on display as an elk takes a look back in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest, the vertical abruptness as Devils Tower rises above the red rocks and green pines, and the many hues found as the colorful badlands cover over this very remote region, each of which are available for sale in our store. Blog posts from Wyoming have documented as the rugged snowy peaks rise above wildflowers, and as The Wild Images Team Travel Gnome poses for a picture at the Meeteetse “Where Chiefs Meet” welcome sign. In neighboring Montana, The Wild Images Team has captured images such as a group of white mountain goats as they graze the highlands, an expansive view of rocky ridges extending to the horizon, the colorfully massive wall of Hidden Lake, high altitude view of tundra and glacial lakes, a very remote reflective alpine lake covered with rocks, and an ominously approaching heavy downpour over the green foothills, all of which are available for sale in our store. Blog posts from Montana have documented the very deep blue waters of McDonald Creek and the panoramic view of The Wild Images Team at Hidden Lake.
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