By Jeannie Knudson
Badlands National Park is in southwestern South Dakota. The park encompasses 244,000 acres and draws more than one million visitors each year. Badlands National Park is managed by both the National Park Service and the Oglala Lakota Nation. While human habitation in the Badlands can be traced back more than 11,000 years, archaeological digs in the area show fossil remains dating back millions of years.
Park History
In 1939 the area was designated as a national monument. In 1976, in a cooperative effort by the National Park Service and the Oglala Nation, it was designated as The Badlands National Wilderness Area. By 1978 the park and surrounding wilderness area officially became the Badlands National Park. The park is an important location for many Native American tribes, and the area has played a part in clashes between Native Americans and settlers, including the battle at Wounded Knee.
Archaeology
Over the course of millions of years, the area has been under an ocean, been part of a tropical forest and been a prairie. These climate changes, combined with the present-day arid conditions, have made the Badlands one of the richest fossil deposits in the world.
Geography
With 381 square miles of sandstone rock formations, the park is one of the fastest changing landscapes in the world. In some areas of the park, the erosion rate is up to one inch each year.
Climate
The climate in the Badlands varies widely from season to season. Winter months may see temperatures as low as -40 degrees Fahrenheit with up to two feet of snow. Summers are generally dry with temperatures reaching as high as 116 degrees. Spring and fall are more moderate with average temperatures ranging from 50 to 80 degrees.
Wildlife
The park is home to several species of endangered animals native to North America. Some were hunted to extinction in the area, but reintroduced when the park become nationally protected. Some species include bighorn sheep, black-footed ferrets, bison, pronghorn deer and various species of fox.
Resources
About the Author:
Jeannie Knudson is an avid traveler with a love for the written word. She has been a freelance writer for over 15 years and holds a Bachelor's Degree in English from the University of Northern Iowa. She enjoys sharing her knowledge and experiences on eHow and Travels.com.
