As someone who loves the desert, our day spent in Badlands National Park quickly became a favorite. The diversity of the topography was amazing. From very harsh rocky cliffs to lush green grasslands that created the illusion of a beautiful golf course. The colors of the rock formations were breathtaking, and illustrated the evolution of time from their beginnings to the present day.

An early start also yielded some incredible and very close “Northwest Encounters” with the local wildlife. It began with a herd of bison passing across the road in front of us. Next is was the adorable prairie dog town and its residents popping up to say, “Hello”.

But by far the most heart stopping encounter was with the big horn sheep. The mature male featured above casually passed in front of our vehicle on his way to a rocky outcropping for some morning scratches, removing his winter coat. We were so fortunate to be in the right place, right time with the right camera lens to capture all of his expressions and more.

And after I returned to the car, along came two mature females that walked by so close to us that they nibbled on my elbow that was propped on the window!! I was truly awestruck to be lucky enough to have such an intimate experience with these magnificent animals.

Don’t let the park’s name deter you. It is spectacular and should definitely be added to your bucket list. Click here to learn more and plan your own “Northwest Encounter”.