This was a fun destination! As we begin our true journey on the road this September, our first stop was the Badlands National Park in South Dakota. We decided to put our boondocking capabilities (where we don’t have electricity, water, or sewer hookups and instead rely on solar power, generator, and tanks) to the test. Where did we boondock? THE WALL. It was so incredible. Where we were parked we had amazing views out the front side of our home. We were also pleasantly surprised that we were easily able to make it 3 days.

We spent the weekend driving through the Badlands and stopping at various points to explore. We got to see lots of adorable prairie dogs and some bison. It was so much fun hiking through some of the trails with the kids, they did great! The Easter bunny had given each child a fancy hiking backpack, though somehow I ended up carrying them both! Regardless, we all had fun and got lots of exercise in. We biked The Wall and were able to enjoy true panorama beauty.

While we were in the area, we also visited Wall Drug, which is a drug store turned tourist trap with billboard advertisements everywhere in SD. It was fun to walk through and see everything from original artwork, genuine bison leather goods, and fun attractions (like a life size Jurassic park t-rex or a covered wagon replica). We dined out at the Salty Steer for one dinner and found it to be pretty good!

Overall, we absolutely recommend The Badlands National Park and boondocking The Wall, if you’re able (it’s also tent friendly)!