SAFETY COMES FIRST AT BADLANDS NATIONAL PARK

It is a typical summer story. A visitor sets out for a simple day hike on the Cliff Shelf Trail, a short maintained trail near the Ben Reifel Visitor Center. They wander off the trail and are soon scrambling up and down gullies and gulches. A simple 20 minute walk turns into a two hour ordeal as they climb their way back to their car. Fortunately, this visitor was in good physical condition, had taken water and snacks, and was properly clothed. This story could have easily had a different ending. "When exploring the deeply carved canyons of the Badlands, visitors should always travel with a map and preferably not travel alone," Mills says. "Additionally, in areas where trails are provided, it's a good idea to remain on the trail for both visitor safety and protection of the fragile Badlands formations and fossils." It is recommended that visitors carry two liters of water per person per hour. The week of June 16 averaged 95 degrees in the Badlands, a semi-arid environment.

Badlands is also home to a large herd of bison. Visitors are reminded that bison are not simply large docile cattle; they are wild animals. "If an animal reacts to your presence, you are too close," reminds Mills. "Visitors are never to come within 100 meters of large wildlife, such as bison, bighorn sheep, and other ungulates. It is critical that visitors never feed any wildlife - even the birds. They rapidly associate people with food and become more aggressive. Additionally, wildlife, such as prairie dogs, is not naturally designed to process human food with its high levels of sodium and sugar. 'Our' food frequently makes them sick or leads to death. Enjoy all wildlife at a distance." Badlands National Park has only one documented human-bison confrontation in the past fifteen years that occurred when a bull bison in rut reacted to a school group in the Sage Creek Campground in 1998. No one was hurt and no property was damaged.

For more information on visiting Badlands National Park, call (605) 433 - 5245 and request a copy of the Prairie Preamble. Virtual trip planners can visit the park's website at http://www.nps.gov/badl Click on IN DEPTH to reach the park's expanded website with its resource information, regulations, and trip planning materials.