By Evelyn Kelly, PhD
Two Different Worlds: Badlands National Park and Wall Drug
South Dakota is full of surprises—one minute you’re in a rugged wilderness of Badlands National Park that feels like another planet, and the next you’re in the bustling, old-fashioned Wall Drug store where tourists line up for free ice water. What fun under those vast, azure skies—two places that couldn’t be more opposite yet together make for one unforgettable adventure. For me and three eager travel companions, it was a journey that swung from prairie dogs to souvenir hunters, from silence to spectacle.
Badlands – Mars in the Midwest
We rolled across land as flat as a pancake when suddenly the earth dropped away. It was as if we had been transported straight to Mars. All we could manage were gasps of “ohhh” and “ahhh” as striped cliffs and jagged peaks stretched across the horizon.
But beauty here is fleeting. Erosion eats away about an inch each year, and in half a million years, this otherworldly landscape may vanish. No wonder the Lakota people called it mako sica (“bad lands”). Farming is nearly impossible here, with blistering summers, frigid winters, and stubborn soil. Yet life persists. Bison lumber across the plains, often blocking the road. Bighorn sheep perform daredevil leaps across cliffs. And best of all, hundreds of prairie dogs pop up from burrows, chattering like gossiping neighbors. We later learned that prairie dogs burrow huge “cities” underground, interacting seamlessly with neighboring groups. “Spotter” prairie dogs pop out of their holes, take a turn acting as a lookout for predators, and then pop back down to give another scout a chance to watch.
The Badlands are also a fossil treasure trove. Once upon a time, saber-toothed cats, three-toed horses, and giant rhino-like brontotheres roamed this land. Hollywood has roamed here too—the dramatic scenery provided a backdrop for “Dances with Wolves” and “Armageddon.” Of special note are the Badlands Loop road and hiking trails to observe the abundant wildlife.
Put it all together and you have a geologist’s dream, a movie-maker’s stage, and a traveler’s wonderland. These “bad lands” are, in truth, wonderfully amazing.
Related: Armchair Adventures – Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Are You Ready for a Circus? Wall Drug
After the quiet majesty of the Badlands, we found ourselves on a prairie highway, staring at one hand-painted sign after another: “Wall Drug Store,” “Free Ice Water,” and “Coffee 5 Cents.” The build-up was relentless. By the time we arrived at the massive “Wall Drug Store – Since 1931” sign, we were hooked.
Wall Drug isn’t really a drugstore anymore—it’s an institution. In 1931, Ted Hustead opened it, but business was bleak until his wife, Dorothy, suggested they lure in travelers with a simple offer: free ice water. It worked. Located just north of the Badlands, Wall Drug turned into a phenomenon.
Today, it’s a two-block carnival of cowboy paraphernalia, Western art, and kitschy souvenirs. You can sip that 5-cent coffee, pose with a jackalope (the mythical jackrabbit with antelope horns), or let the kids loose in the backyard with its animatronic T-Rex and playground. At the height of summer, 20,000 visitors might pass through in a single day. People-watching is half the entertainment.
Reactions vary. Some dismiss it as a gaudy tourist trap; others embrace its quirky, old-timey charm. Either way, when you’ve been driving dusty South Dakota highways in July, that free ice water tastes pretty sweet.
Evelyn Kelly and Natalie Kelly are co-authors of “Have a Love Affair with Travel,” now available on Amazon.com.
