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:

2 Apr 2024Beech trees and anemone wildflowers, Jutland, Denmark
27 Jul 2026Tiffany Dome, Chicago Cultural Center, Illinois, United States
1 Oct 2024Black History Month
A glimpse of the grandest of canyons
Aug 27, 2023Jeju Island, South Korea
17 Feb 2026Chinese New Year
15 Feb 2026World Whale Day
The mountains are calling
10 Jul 2025Independence Day of the Bahamas
10 Mar 2024Mothering Sunday
To the infinite and back
1 Nov 2024Vineyards in Varnhalt, Black Forest, Germany
23 Jun 2024Dhaka, Bangladesh
30 Sep 2024Walruses in Svalbard, Norway
1 May 2025Lei Day
14 Jan 2025Village of Zahara de la Sierra, Cadiz, Spain
27 May 2024Hay Festival
11 Jan 2024Eurasian lynx
21 Jan 2024Squirrel Appreciation Day
21 Sep 2023International Day of Peace
20 Apr 2024Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA
The animal kingdoms great migration
16 Sep 2025Nighttime view over the Gulf Coast
29 Oct 2025Ancient til trees in Fanal Forest, Madeira, Portugal
23 Nov 2024Fibonacci Day
23 Feb 2025Mount Fuji Day
A warm hug in the icy north
29 May 2025Miravet, Catalonia, Spain
22 Jun 2026World Rainforest Day
A hiker’s dream