Is This the Most Remote Spot in All of South Dakota?
South Dakota is home to some wide-open spaces. If you've ever driven east to west, north to south, or anywhere in between, you've likely driven across some of the most desolated parts of the state. But where is the most remote spot in all of South Dakota? As it turns out, someone has already figured that out, and not just for South Dakota, but they're working on every state in the country.
The Remote Footprints Project is trying to find the most remote part of every state in the country. At the time of this post, they've gotten through 35 of the 50 states. How do they figure it out? According to the website, it's the farthest possible spot in a straight line from the nearest road or human settlement. So where is that in our state? The Badlands.
Specifically, it's in the Sage Creek Wilderness Area of the Badlands National Park. According to the Remote Footprint Project, the Sage Creek Wilderness Area is located 3.3 miles from the nearest road or town, making it the most remote spot in the entire state.
As you can see in the photo above, Sage Creek Wilderness Area is located in the northern part of the Badlands National Park. I have to admit, I was surprised to find this out. I was sure that the most remote part of the state would be much further from a town or road. But I guess it just goes to show how many roads there are in South Dakota.
Where's the most remote spot of all 35 states the Remote Footprint Project has covered? An area within Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming is 21.6 miles from the nearest road or town. Keep in mind, that the project hasn't made it up to Alaska just yet. Something tells me that will take the top prize when it's all said and done.