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rtaggio · 09-03-2022, 08:13 AM

We are also here now and it was hot Thursday 100 ? but yesterday was awesome 80's with a breeze.

Had a Big Horn Sheep walk right up to us and hang out. We were sitting between the MH and cliff and there was not 8' of distance. He (she?) appeared to me like it wanted food or beverage. I definitely had the feeling the look he gave me that others had offered up a snack, since we did not he walked off a few minutes later.

LMH · 09-07-2022, 07:00 AM

I know this is a really late response from the original question, but we just boondocked at this place 2 weeks ago and it was my absolute favorite! We used google maps to find the first entrance - it's literally called on google maps "Badlands Boondocking Area" and has a marker. The gravel road going in is washboard and just a little rough, then the road along the rim is slightly better in most places. There are two entrances - the north one we took and the south one further down by the towers in the picture.

I counted 30+ rigs spread out along the rim on our way out - but it felt like we all had a LOT of space.
It was extremely windy and the gritty sand got in everywhere, but it was such a beautiful spot we didn't care.
Huge storms came in throughout the night - lightening nonstop for hours and lashing rain - just glorious!
The next morning the sides of the rim road might have been trouble for turning around w/some rigs, but we did ok in our 21' van and had no trouble leaving. Some converted buses nearby seemed to be there long term. We did see gov't trucks go through a couple of times too.

I'd strongly recommend at least one night here.

Bowtie Jim · 07-16-2023, 11:31 AM

Getting ready to head to the Badlands boondocking site for our third straight year.
Anyone else been there recently? Bobby F.?
Is it still pretty crowded during the week?
Timing the trip for the new moon Aug 16.
Stargazing is off the charts when there is a new moon. Thanks Folks.

Bobby F · 07-16-2023, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bowtie Jim

Anyone else been there recently? Bobby F.?
Is it still pretty crowded during the week?

"Stuff" has kept me at home for two months, so, no. Going there after Sturgis is over.

But I have spoken to a few who have been there in June and July. Their impression was, slightly less crowded than past years. And still wonderful.

Bowtie Jim · 07-16-2023, 04:45 PM

Thanks Bobby

UTTransplant · 07-16-2023, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bowtie Jim

Getting ready to head to the Badlands boondocking site for our third straight year.
Anyone else been there recently? Bobby F.?
Is it still pretty crowded during the week?
Timing the trip for the new moon Aug 16.
Stargazing is off the charts when there is a new moon. Thanks Folks.

Remember the meteor shower on the 12-13 August. Might be worthwhile getting there a bit earlier.

Bobby F · 07-17-2023, 07:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UTTransplant

Remember the meteor shower on the 12-13 August. Might be worthwhile getting there a bit earlier.

Dang. Sturgis lets out Aug 13.

OldBaldFat · 07-17-2023, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobby F

Dang. Sturgis lets out Aug 13.

Is it like elementary school, where you can't leave early?

Isaac-1 · 07-17-2023, 10:37 AM

We were there for 4 or 5 nights in May a week before Memorial Day (we Arrived in Wall on either Monday or Tuesday around sunset, spent night 1 at the Wall Drugs owned parking lot by the railroad tracks along with 5 or 6 other RV's, and moved down to the Buffalo Gap boondocking site by the 2 towers the next morning, where we stayed until the following Saturday morning (1 week before Memorial Day). There was a lot of nightly turnover, I would estimate around 50% pulled in just before sunset and were gone by 9am the next morning, with some nights that week having less than half as many visitors as other nights, peak occupancy was probably Wednesday night, though I would not read much into that as the smoke from the Canadian fires rolled in that Thursday almost blocking out the sun. Out of the couple of dozen camping sites we would pass by coming and going in our TOAD, we saw no one else that stayed longer than we were there, with the vast majority of campers being there for 1 or 2 nights, a handful were 3, and only 1 I saw that arrived and departed about the same as we did (they were our next door neighbors), pulled in about an hour after we did, and left about an hour before we did.

Isaac-1 · 07-17-2023, 10:40 AM

ignore, double post

Bobby F · 07-17-2023, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldBaldFat

Is it like elementary school, where you can't leave early?

Ha! No, I've been at the Badlands spot twice when Sturgis finished, and both times there was a large influx of bikers with tents, and bikers in RVs, spending a night or two on their way home east.

They are not a quiet and early-to-bed group, by and large, and seem to stay in party mode for a few days. So I try to avoid that spot on that particular day.

Jkjavelin · 07-17-2023, 04:30 PM

RV Miles reports that the area is expected to turn into designated campsites in the video below (at about the 2:45 mark).
We were there twice last year and saw people camping in the unused grassy areas instead of spots that were occupied in the past. As usual, some people ruin things for all. The BLM also had traffic counters at the entrance.

https://youtu.be/tWNC2VPquqg

Isaac-1 · 07-17-2023, 04:33 PM

There were traffic counters by the cattle guard entrances when we were there in May.

p.s. I am not completely against designated sites, one of the nights we were there we had people so close both in front of and behind us, that if we had needed to leave the only way we could have was to move our TOAD car which was parked crosswise behind our coach, and then pull out as if we were pulling out of a parallel parking space.

UTTransplant · 07-18-2023, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Isaac-1

There were traffic counters by the cattle guard entrances when we were there in May.

p.s. I am not completely against designated sites, one of the nights we were there we had people so close both in front of and behind us, that if we had needed to leave the only way we could have was to move our TOAD car which was parked crosswise behind our coach, and then pull out as if we were pulling out of a parallel parking space.

I am not surprised. Too many of our beautiful areas are getting loved to death. We just left the Vedauwoo Recreation Area about 10 miles east of Laramie, WY. It is a part of the wind River National Forest, and a premiere rock climbing area. There is a small campground, but many more designated dispersed sites. They were well marked and widely separated from one another. It is rather nice to get to a popular spot and know someone else isn’t going to set up 10 yards away. No toilets except at a few trail heads, no water, no trash pickup, but free! Absolutely a beautiful area too. We stayed 10 nights, going into Laramie for a dump and a fill after 7 days.