The Bad River

There aren't too many different ways/roads we can travel from the east side to the west side of the state, and vice versa. But the last trip home did just that. We found the Bad River Road north of Midland. The forty miles of good gravel road ended on the south end of Fort Pierre. (OK. It was just 40 miles on a different road, but it was different.)

The Bad River Road, also known as the Copperline Road and the 259th Avenue, followed the railroad more than it did the river. The Bad River Road follows one of the oldest Indian Trails and is marked with signs along the way, although some of the signs are not legible.

Some of the railroad bridges along the road were worthy of photographs. 

The Bad River

.

There was the possibility of seeing the Ted Turner

bison herd at this stop. We didn't. 

No water here.

There weren't many trees on this route so driving through

a 'tree tunnel' was rather cool. Short, but kind of neat.

Prairie dogs enjoying the sunshine on a beautiful fall day.

Near the end of forty mile road (on the east end), we 

noticed this mini-SD Badlands landscape.

I wouldn't make this road a replacement for the two lane paved

roads we usually drive in this area. But it was a very nice change

of pace with some interesting scenery and history.