Travel day to Interior, SD

 July 30, 2025

Badlands/White River KOA site 155

Interior, SD

It was travel day today so Momma and Dad decided to make their rest break at Wall Drug in Wall, SD. 

Wall is a very small community and in order to stay in business back in 1937, the owners of Wall Drug store needed to draw in some travelers.  The wife had the idea to offer weary, thirsty travelers free ice water so the husband made signs to post on the highway...and the rest is history.  Of course the drug store has grown in size since then and the variety of items for sale has multiplied under the current management by the grandkids.

And the number of tourists who stop daily has multiplied as well.

 

The signs are still drawing people in.

They didn't drink free ice water, but they did purchase some of the homemade ice cream from the soda fountain.  I guess they are helping Wall Drug stay in business.

 They received service at the cafe with a great big smile.

With only 36 miles remaining, the rest of the trip went by quickly but I'll have to say, as soon as the Ram drove through the gate for the Badlands National Park, the oohs and aahhs began as the two-legged viewed the scenery that Mother Nature has so graciously created.

  It took years to accomplish such magnificent landscaping.  

Upon arrival at the campground, it became apparent that the request to have the three rigs parked close together was ignored.  'If you had paid an extra $20 each to lock your sites....'  But the gal did make an adjustment to we are relatively close rather than opposite ends of the park.

We observed a first at this campground.

This slip in camper that rides in the back of the truck has a slide out to add more room.

Tonight, I got to check out the dog park and stretch my legs

while getting my heart rate up as my tongue hung lower and lower.  I guess they wanted to tire me out before they went out for a wildlife hunt.  The quick trip into the Badlands National Park wound up taking well over two hours, but it was a successful night for spotting animals in park.

The animals tend to be more active as the sun begins to set.

but without much natural light, the animals are harder to see.  

I'm Chloe