#15 Badlands (Interior), South Dakota, Cedar Pass Lodge | October 9th, 2018

Field Recordings NYC

I ventured on a trip with a couple buddies through the mid-west this past October. Specifically from two iconic national parks — Badlands in South Dakota to Yellowstone National Park. The Badlands were immediately an interesting sight to see as we drove in at dead of night. The layered rock formations suddenly surround you as you drive into the park, towering over you as if you’ve suddenly been cast as an extra in the 1960’s Star Trek series and you were beamed onto their extensive set for the season finale. It was rainy and cold while we were there, limiting my ability to record and leaving little wildlife to be seen outside of the fur covered Bison + Bighorn Sheep in the distance. Still you can hear the occasional bird chirping in the cold and it’s interesting to hear how humans’ creations — mainly cars driving in and out of the canyons to the various cabins and shops or folks packing up for their day hikes or next adventure echo off of its towering spires of rock, sand and dirt. The rainy weather only hammers home how fragile the landscape actually is, one that’s being molded and manipulated every day by the earth’s weather patterns, the local wildlife traveling through to get to the sprawling grasslands and of course the human tourism and inhabitants. Leaving you with the ultimate realization that you’re truly seeing something that is one-of-a-kind in the landscape, as it could be drastically different in a few days time. The town ‘Interior’, South Dakota where our cabin was located within the Badlands has a population that’s hovered between 144 in 1930 to the low 60’s, back towards 100 occupants currently. This is certainly the ultimate experience of “Small Town America” buried inside one of our country’s most iconic scenic treasures. Though this recording is not my favorite, it was the only one I was able to capture during our brief visit to the Badlands and I think it’s important to have in the archive for you to hear. 8:20am - 8:55am 36°F and rising (Low of 33°F / High of 38°F) Clear Skies Wind: 12mph North Humidity: 97%