Badlands National Park, South Dakota, USA 10 Nov 2023

Badlands National Park, South Dakota, USA

This densely layered image is not an error of your screen, but the fascinating tiers of fossil beds in Badlands National Park in South Dakota, USA. Under the multicoloured coating lies the land"s history, conserving the remains of ancient horses, camels, tigers and rhinos. The barren landscape, decorated with pinnacles and prairies, was mainly formed by two contrary forces of nature: deposition (the process of small rocks being moved around and deposited in new places) and erosion (the process of rocks wearing away). The Red Shirt Table, at 1,020 metres, is the highest point on the rugged terrain. The park covers a 379-square-mile territory that was established as a national park on this day in 1978. Still thirsty for knowledge? Visit the national park"s museum collection. There are over 360,000 artefacts that have a lot more to reveal!

© Grant Ordelheide/Tandem Stills + Motion

palette

Today in History

Lighting up the Badlands
10 Nov 2024Remembrance Sunday
10 Nov 2025Black-tailed prairie dogs, Badlands National Park, South Dakota, USA

More Desktop Wallpapers:

A time-worn mediaeval marvel
24 Jun 2024Kelimutu, Flores, Indonesia
What are these colorful insects?
Flying the flag for Pride
1 Jun 2025World Reef Awareness Day
Lighting up the Dolomites
Taking the long view
5 Mar 2024Bangkok, Thailand
14 Dec 2024Christmas Bird Count turns 125
Go with the flow
1 Mar 2024Saint Davids Day
8 Nov 2023Llyn Padarn, Snowdonia, Wales
11 Jul 2025World Population Day
11 Mar 2025Broken Beach in Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia
Rugged rocks and ancient history
25 Jun 2024Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada, USA
5 Feb 2025Scottish Blackface sheep, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
An iridescent view
Were halfway there
31 Jan 2024International Zebra Day
The largest gypsum dune field
A hiker’s dream
Turtle-y nice day for a swim
In a world of their own
17 Oct 2024Kochia, Hitachi, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan
King of the ocean
19 Jun 2025Cinque Torri, Dolomites, Italy
12 Mar 2025Château de Sully-sur-Loire, Centre-Val de Loire, France
6 Apr 2024Japan Castle Day
19 Sep 2023Splügen Pass, Switzerland