Notch Trailhead. Badlands National Park – South Dakota. Just before sunrise.On a recent road trip to Colorado, I took a little detour through “Badlands National Park” (BNP) in South Dakota. I had visited this park about 30 years ago, but this time I had a much better camera 😉
There are actually two different “badlands” national parks in the Dakotas. This one, and the one in North Dakota called “Theodore Roosevelt National Park” (TRNP).
I honestly prefer the South Dakota badlands because the rock formations are more uniform in color than those in North Dakota. This works better from photography perspective because it helps simplify the overall composition.
You’ll see many photographs of the rock formations at BNP, but I honestly have a greater appreciation of the vistas and elevations from a photographer’s perspective. Combining both elements (rocky features and surrounding areas) provides a better representation of scale in this beautiful area.
Panorama Point. Badlands National Park – South DakotaIf you get a chance to go to Badlands National Park, I suggest going before or after the tourist season. I was there in mid-September and encountered very little traffic. This made it much easier to get around.
