It was only a few nights but it was rich. And the sweetest return to our “road ways” as the kids made fast friends with two families. Every morning as I stepped outside to have a solo sip of coffee, the neighbor was sitting and watching, eagerly awaiting Townes’s morning rise. They rode bikes, hiked, went on walks, and made up games together. The adults enjoyed each other too, coming together for dinner and swapping road (and life) stories. The kids all agreed that the Badlands was in their top five places; I’m just pretty sure it’s more about these friendships than the unique rock formations, though Townes said it was a tie between the friends and the animals (a turtle, a snake, bighorn sheep, prairie dogs, swallows).

• We stayed: Cedar Pass Campground (and had to pass up what we hear is a fantastic boondocking spot: Nomad View)
• We explored: Badlands National Park, Badlands Loop Road
• We hiked: The Window Trail, The Door Trail, Saddle Pass Trail, and some unnamed, unmarked rock scramble trail near the campground
• We ate: Wall Drug on our way out of town (and honestly would say it’s fine to pass)