The Badlands area is a wonderland of water chiseled spires, ragged ridges, rugged canyons and prairie. The lower prairie lying along the flood plain of the White River is a sod-covered expanse dotted with scattered buttes. The upper prairie varies from great grassy flats to gentle grassy undulations. And there is "The Wall" standing between the two, serving as a barrier to north and south going traffic. "The Wall" is a rugged strip a half mile to three miles wide and nine miles long with a succession of tinted spires, ridges and twisted gullies. From "The Wall," the name of the town of Wall, South Dakota is derived. Wall was established as a railroad station on the C&NW Railroad in the summer of 1907.

The badlands sneak up on you. Even after you enter the gateway to Badlands National Park, the monotonous grasslands of the High Plains seem to continue. Stop at the very first scenic overlook you encounter, and get out of your car. In a matter of inches, the ocean of prairie transforms into a vast and jumbled wilderness of impenetrable badlands.