Officially Out West

Today we officially reached out west! We made the 4-hour drive from Sioux Falls to Badlands National Park, cruising along Route 90 West at a glorious 80 mph—easily my favorite part of the drive. The endless open road felt like an invitation to adventure.

DownHome by DeBoers! 

Before diving into the Badlands, we made a quick detour to see the Down Home by DeBoers storefront. If you’re a fan of Chelsea and Cole from Teen Mom and HGTV’s Down Home Fab and Rock the Block, you’d understand why it felt surreal to stand outside their shop. Even though the store was closed, it still felt like checking an unexpected dream off the bucket list!

 During the drive, we kept ourselves entertained with the Alphabet Game, hunting for words along the roadside starting with each letter in order. It was hilarious how competitive we got over spotting letters, and the game kept us laughing for nearly an hour.

As we approached the entrance to Badlands National Park, one of the girls spotted a hand-painted sign that read “Stop and Feed the Prairie Dogs.” In a split second, we swerved into the gravel parking lot of the Ranch Store. For just a dollar a bag, we stood surrounded by dozens of little prairie dogs. They popped up and down from their burrows like tiny sentinels—some scolding us, some inching closer to snatch treats right from our hands, and some scurrying around with their babies in tow. It was absolutely adorable and ended up being one of the most unforgettable moments of the day.

 

 

Once we entered the park, we decided to explore by driving the scenic loop and making stops along the way. In total, we pulled over at about eight spots, including overlooks, the visitor center, and our big hike.

Our second stop was the Notch Trail, a 1.5-mile hike that felt like stepping into another world. Early on, we faced the trail’s most famous challenge—a steep, 50-foot wooden ladder bolted into the cliff. Climbing up felt exhilarating, with the wind in our faces and the rugged landscape unfolding around us. At the top, the trail traced narrow ledges that hugged the cliffs, revealing sweeping views of canyons carved in every shade of pink, gold, and gray. It was hard to believe places like this really exist.

 

 

To finish the hike, we retraced our steps carefully, descending the ladder and heading back to the trailhead with our hearts still racing. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The third stop was the visitor center, where we proudly stamped our National Park Passport Books. From there, we continued driving the loop, pausing at overlook after overlook. Our favorite was the Yellow Mounds Overlook—an explosion of color where the hills rippled with stripes of yellow, lavender, gray, and rusty red. It looked like a giant painter had brushed the land in broad strokes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After soaking in every view, we ended our day with a stop at Wall Drug—a place that’s equal parts tourist trap and roadside wonder. It’s impossible to miss with all the billboards counting down the miles, and when you finally arrive, it feels like stepping into a time capsule of Americana. The sprawling store is packed with everything you can imagine: taxidermy jackalopes, souvenir T-shirts, vintage photo booths, and shelves of trinkets you never knew you needed.

 

 

We wandered through the maze of rooms, taking in the endless displays and grabbing some well-earned ice cream. It was the perfect sweet—and wonderfully quirky—ending to a day full of wide-open spaces, prairie dogs, and unforgettable views.

 

Now we are in Rapid City, SD and heading to see Mount Rushmore tomorrow!  

 For every gorgeous image from today, click here!