NEBRASKAland Magazine is dedicated to outstanding photography and informative writing with an engaging mix of articles and photos highlighting Nebraska’s outdoor activities, parklands, wildlife, history and people.
Issue link: http://mag.outdoornebraska.gov/i/977334
62 NEBRASKAland • MAY 2018 T he best photos come early and late in the day, and it usually pays huge dividends to stay on site. While getting photos for this month's article on the Oglala National Grassland, I opted for a solo camping trip in the comforts of my tent cot. While I could have opted to camp free of charge at pretty much any location on the federal property, I chose to pay the $5 for the campground at Toadstool Geologic Park with its luxurious vault toilet. It was during the week, and I was the only one at the campground. Seemingly the only person for miles, for that matter. The grasslands are a great destination for a group venture, but there is something special about being on such a wide-open, sparsely populated landscape alone. Each sound from the prairie's wildlife seems amplified. The absence of trees and artificial light make for a great view of the night sky. There alone, my mind turned to what it must have been like when the nearby ghost towns of Orella and Montrose were populated. When "Buffalo Bill" Cody and Yellow Hair traversed the landscape. Back even farther when those mammoths and Alberta Culture bison, which have given us such magnificent fossils, were roaming the land. When volcanic ash was moving in from the West and creating the base for those nearby toadstool formations, or when those prized agates were washing in from the rising Black Hills. A trip to the Oglala Grassland is like a venture in a time machine. Then, every once in a while, you get a reminder you are not alone. Trains moving north and south on a route that includes Crawford and Ardmore, South Dakota, rumble by. No matter how serene a location in our state may seem, the presence of humans is never too far away. Somewhat comforting, somewhat annoying, but present nonetheless. One of my favorite photos can be attributed to the area's great view of the night sky, its fantastic landforms – and that train line. It wasn't until I got back to my computer on another night that I realized the light from the distant train was illuminating the background as I was lighting the foreground. The result was an image with a mix of the past meeting the present – much like the Oglala Grassland itself. Yes, night or day, it's a special place. ■ Justin Haag March 26, 2018 Night Trains and Time Machines