Instead of sticking to I-90, we took the scenic-slower route through the badlands. The badlands are rough. They are pretty to look at, but must have been hell to cross on foot. Being in a car on a paved road changes your perspective. They often have snake warning signs like the one below. I have only seen a rattlesnake one time in all the years I have walked in places with signs like this. Maybe they just put them there to spice up the experience.
You can see from the picture below that they even made a boardwalk along the hill. Again, your perspective is different when you can walk in comfort. The poor pioneers having to live here would have seen it differently.
John Matel's Memorial Blog