I can identify 100 percent with the Frank Lloyd Wright comment 'I was totally unprepared for that revelation called the Dakota Bad Lands.'
       The badlands (see also Badlands National Park ) in South Dakota and the everglades in south Florida are the two most impressive natural wonders I have personally experienced. The Everglades are noteworthy for the incredible diversity of life found there while the badlands appeal is the utter desolation. The badlands consists of miles and miles of giant craggy shaped rock formations with very little animal or plant life or anything else save the paraphanalia of the tourist trade. The visitor center run by the National Park service tells us that the badlands are what is left from a great sea that covered much of the central United States millions of years ago although I'm not sure I buy that explanation. I haven't been everywhere of course but its safe to say that the badlands are unique in the universe.
       The badlands are part of a great summer tourist area centered around Rapid City, South Dakota whose centerpeice is Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills. The whole thing is an impressive celebration of America. On every streetcorner in downtown Rapid City there is a life size statue of an American President. ( see City of Presidents ) It is firmly directed at the married with children part of the population, almost every place is child friendly.
       Most people go there by car. If you do drive there and are coming from the east be sure to stop at the rest area on I-90 ( see also Lewis and Clark rest area ) overlooking the Missouri River. Here there is what amounts to a Lewis and Clark museum. The exhibits gave me a much greater insight into the Lewis and Clark expedition than the many books I have read about this oh so important part of American History.

Click here to see an online picture album of someone's visit to Rapid City