You feel small...in the best way!

Friday 🗺️ August 28, 2026 🗺️ Trying not to melt in this heatwave!

Happy Friday, Reader!

It's National Park Week, so of course I had to make my way back to Badlands National Park in South Dakota! This year has been packed with big celebrations: Route 66 turned 100, the National Park System hit 110, and the whole country is gearing up for America's 250th birthday. With all that going on, it just felt right to head back to the Badlands for another adventure.

You might think once you've been to a park, you've seen it all. But the Badlands loves to prove me wrong every single time! There’s always something new to spot or a fresh way to see an old favorite.

We rolled up to Pinnacles Overlook just as the sun was peeking over the ridge, our first stop after the entrance gate outside Wall. The air still had that leftover nighttime chill, but you could tell the day was about to crank up the heat. A handful of folks were already at the rail, soaking in the view and easing into the morning.

Then I spotted a stranger way out on the ledge, braver than the rest of us. He’d snagged the best seat in the house, with the whole canyon spread out below. When you get a cool subject and a killer landscape together, you just have to snap the photo, right? Ridges and spires went on forever, catching those early pink and gold rays, and there he was, just a tiny dot in all that wild space.

I never caught his name, or even said hello. But I got the shot, and that’s a win in my book! It wasn’t just about the light (though the light was pretty sweet). That photo is the closest I’ve come to capturing what it really feels like to stand in the Badlands. You don’t just look at the scenery. You feel tiny, in the best possible way, like the land is giving you a gentle reminder of your place in the world.

Go stand at that rail yourself sometime. Let the Badlands give you that same little nudge.

Have you ever seen a prairie dog do a trust fall? This guy tipped straight back into the grass mid-bite and didn't miss a beat.

The Yellow Mounds are like a sneak peek at the Badlands’ wild color palette. Catch them early in the day if you want those colors to really pop!

From Hay Butte Overlook, the grass-topped buttes roll out so far you just know there are bison and bighorn sheep hiding out there somewhere.

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Clouds always bring the drama to a photo, and these gave the Badlands a little extra mystery.

The sun dipped behind the spires and suddenly light was spilling everywhere. Magic hour, Badlands style.

One Thing to Know - Exploring Badlands National Park

Figure out what you want to see or snap photos of before you go, and plan your timing around that. Spots like Pinnacles Overlook get busy fast once the sun is up, so if you want some peace and quiet, get there early! And don’t skip the visitor center to grab a map and chat with the rangers. They always have the scoop on wildlife sightings and trail updates, so you’re not burning daylight trying to guess where the bighorn sheep have wandered off to.

If you like to explore some less crowded places, check out this post: Where the Wild Still Feels Wild.

Next week, I’ll take you along for a week of scenic rides and bucket list concerts at the 86th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Stay tuned!

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