The eastern part of South Dakota was lots of vast nothingness, with pockets of impoverished Indian reservation housing scattered here and there. It was a huge reminder that this land belonged to someone else and that we forcibly took it from a group of people and left them basically nothing. Not something you think about very often when your tucked away in TN.
This the vast nothingness is quite beautiful though and makes you feel incredibly small.
We set up camp at a mom and pop campground outside the park.
It was owned by an adorable couple who were probably in their 70's...you know the kind of couple that you want to put in your pocket and take home with you, or more feasibly, makes you go AHHHH, I want us to be them one day.
Our plan was to wake up early drive to the western end of the park and hike out of the the Sage Creek Wilderness. We had made the decision early on that to fully experience the National Parks we needed to do some hiking in them. We woke at 5:30 in the morning to find that the wind was insane. It became apparent that it was not going to be a good hiking day so we reluctantly made the decision to drive through the park.
One of the most beautiful places we have ever been.....
Natasha