A hidden gem in northwest Nebraska in the Oglala National Grasslands is Toadstool Geologic Park. A view north from the campground looks like much of western Nebraska.
But a view to the west makes you think you might be at Badlands National Park in South Dakota.
Never having visited, knowing I’d be driving remote roads, and wanting to get some images before camping, I hurried and arrived about an hour before sunset. Got quite a show.
Took a nice mile hike in before it got dark, and looked forward to a longer hike in the morning. Like Badlands NP and Agate Fossil Beds National Monument a bit south of here, the rocks are filled with fossil bones and animal tracks from about 30 million years ago. (I posted some images from Agate Fossil Beds a couple years ago. Also, the Field Museum in Chicago has a terrific new exhibit called Life After the Dinosaurs which has some fossils and models of the animals that lived here.) Here’s an image of the only animal I saw.
With the clear skies, I was looking forward to getting up during the night and getting some images of rock features with the stars.
Unfortunately, when I awoke at midnight, clouds covered above so I went back to sleep.
Several hours later, I heard rain on the roof, I realized further hiking would not be possible, and that I better head out before the dirt roads get worse.
I hope I can get back to this remote spot someday. It is well worth more exploration. For now, the memories and photos from an hour’s stop will do.
