The Badlands, Where to Begin?
 

I'm going to South Dakota, the Badlands, staying in Hot Springs for 5 days, for a nephew's wedding. This is so outside my travel sphere, but I'm trying to treat it the same as India or Tunisia or anywhere else weird I've traveled and I will of course write a travel narrative of my time there, which I expect will be exceptional. I am so used to traveling in foreign countries that places like this SEEM like foreign countries to me. They are , actually, when you think about it on certain levels.

But anyway, if anyone has any advice about Hot Springs, SD, bring it on. It looks like a really beautiful place, and I'm hoping it is, as I can't travel to my gorgeous home in France this year and want to at lest spend a few days in someplace far away and really pretty.

Hi, St. Cirq. Hot Springs isn't in the Badlands. It's in the Black Hills, very close to Custer State Park, one of my favorite areas in the US. Although I've actually only been there twice!

The Mammoth Site in Hot Springs is well worth a visit. I'd post the links for it and Custer State Park but I'm on my son's laptop and can barely manage perusing Fodor's!

You might want to do a search for Black Hills. There have been lots of good posts with good info on the many things worth seeing in that area.

It's not France, but I think you'll really enjoy it. It is definitely very pretty!

http://www.sdgfp.info/parks/Regions/Custer/Index.htm

www.mammothsite.com

I think I've figured it out!

You would be the very first to admonish others to start with a tour guide, a map, web searches, and perusing travel forums.

How awful for you not to be able to travel to your allegedly gorgeous home in France this year, and be reduced to enduring a stateside destination - though, you don't really have to, or for 5 days - wonder why, you of the blathering excessive personal information you constantly offer here, hasn't explained why.

Can't hardly wait for your next totally frivolous and insipid "travel narrative".

Not really necessary Donna.
It's been a LONG time since we've been to the Badlands, but it is such an interesting place--as are the Black Hills. Enjoy.

Far away and really beautiful--the SD badlands fit that perfectly. I find the Black Hills sort of uninteresting, but the Badlands are worth the drive. It's an almost unreal landscape, incredibly beautiful, breathtakingly so. Try to visit in the morning or evening, b/c the colors are more evident when it isn't high noon. Wear hiking shoes and bring water! Listen for the wolves. Give yourself some time to walk, sit, and breathe there. It is NOT France--it's far too wild/untamed/desolate for that, but that is part of its intrinsic beauty. Stop for Indian tacos along the way at the roadside. And consider making a trip out to both Crazy Horse monument (unthinkable until you see it) and Wounded Knee. It won't replace France, but it could well create an entire new category of places you love.

Hi, Hot Springs is a pretty town and near to Custer State Park which is beautiful mountain terrain.

The Badlands are about 3 hours away from Hot Springs.

What month will you travel to SD? The weather can be quite unpredictable.

I have to say having my home area compared to India or Tunisia is a first.