Badlands National Park Travel Guide

By Kathryn Frazer

Located in South Dakota, Badlands National Park is one of the most underrated national parks in the United States. Despite its name, it is anything but a bad experience.

In fact, when it was first suggested to be a national park, it was almost named Wonderland National Park. With many geological features, the largest undisturbed mixed-grass prairie in the United States, a variety of wildlife, a mix of easy to moderate hikes, and one of the richest fossil beds in the world, Badlands National Park is guaranteed to instill wonder in anyone who visits.

DID YOU KNOW?

● Badlands is one of two national parks in South Dakota

● Became a national park on November 10, 1978

● Lakota called the area “mako sica,” which means “bad lands”

● The park is home to bison, bighorn sheep, prairie dogs, and fossils

About Badlands National Park

Badlands National Park became a national monument in 1939 before becoming a national park in 1978. The park is home to a geologic formation called badlands, which is a type of dry terrain with soft sedimentary rocks and clay-rich soils that have been eroded by wind and water.

The area was used as a hunting ground by the Lakota, and they called it “mako sica,” which translates to “bad lands.” When French fur trappers encountered the area, they echoed the same sentiment, calling it “les mauvaises terres à traverser,” which means “bad lands to travel across.” This is because when it rains, the terrain becomes slick and sticky, and the area experiences cold winters and hot summers.

How To Get There

Badlands National Park is located in southwestern South Dakota, about 1.5 hours east of Rapid City and 2 hours east of the Black Hills, which are both great road trip stops in South Dakota. If you’re flying in, the best airport is Rapid City Regional Airport.

Badlands National Park encompasses 244,000 acres over the North and South units. We’ll focus on the North Unit in this travel guide, which offers the most iconic sights in the park.

To fully explore Badlands National Park, you will need your own vehicle, as there are no shuttles to take you around. Any type of vehicle will be fine, and there are RV parking spots throughout the park.

When To Visit

Badlands National Park is open every day, except for weather closures. And when it comes to weather, the park experiences it all, with an average of 12 to 24 inches of snowfall during the winter, and warm temperatures, rain, and thunderstorms during the summer.

If you want the best weather and fewer crowds, we suggest visiting between April and May or September and October.

Where To Stay

Inside Badlands National Park

Badlands National Park has two campgrounds, the Cedar Pass Campground and Sage Creek Campground. RVs are not allowed at Sage Creek Campground.

The park is also home to the Cedar Pass Lodge, which has cabins you can stay in. And if you want to rough it, the park allows backcountry camping as long as you set up your camp at least a half mile off of a trail or road and are not visible from the road.

Outside of Badlands National Park

There is a KOA south of the visitor center, making it a convenient home base outside of the park. If you prefer to boondock, just outside of the park’s boundaries is a spot called Nomad View, which is one of the coolest free camping areas we’ve ever stayed at.

At Nomad View, you can park your RV or set up your tent right at the edge of the Badlands. This is a very popular spot, so don’t expect solitude, and please remember to leave no trace so it can continue to be enjoyed by others.

Things To Know

Entrance fee: Visiting Badlands National Park costs $30 per vehicle, which covers seven days inside the park. We recommend getting the America the Beautiful pass, which is $80 per year and gets you into all National Park Service managed sites and federal lands.

Dogs are not allowed: Just like most national parks, dogs are not allowed on trails at Badlands National Park. They are allowed at campgrounds and on roads, including backcountry dirt roads.

Beware of wet ground: If the Badlands are wet, they are very slippery, and you will get clay stuck to the bottom of your shoes. If you plan to visit during a rainstorm or shortly after, we suggest sticking to the paved trails.

The Best Things To Do

Drive Badlands Loop Road

Drive Badlands Loop Road

Unlike many national parks that require longer hikes to see the best scenery, you can see many great views from the road at Badlands National Park! One of the best things to do in the park, especially if you’re short on time, is drive the Badlands Loop Road.

This is the main road that runs through the park, and it takes less than an hour to drive, but we recommend allotting at least half a day, as it is where you will find the most popular attractions, including trails, the Ben Reifel Visitor Center, and 12 overlooks.

White River Valley Overlook

Our favorite overlooks were the Big Badlands Overlook (which is great for sunrise), the White River Valley Overlook, Panorama Point, Pinnacles Overlook (which is great for sunset), and the Yellow Mounds Overlook, which has unique yellow badlands that get their color from a mineral called goethite.

Hike one of the many trails

Badlands National Park has a variety of trails. Most of them are less than 2 miles, and some are paved, making them very accessible!

Notch Trail Wooden Ladder

Notch Trail, Miles (round trip): 1.3, Elevation: 131 feet

The Notch Trail was our favorite hike in the park! As you hike the trail, you’ll go through the badlands, with their walls surrounding you, before reaching the best feature of the hike, a wooden ladder.

Yellow Mounds

This ladder is a ton of fun to climb, and once at the top, you will continue along some ledges and back down through the badlands before reaching a gorgeous viewpoint at the end. We suggest doing this hike first thing in the morning so you can enjoy the ladder without many other people.

Window Trail, Miles (round trip): 0.3, Elevation: 13 feet

This short hike on a wooden boardwalk ends at a viewpoint that provides a window into the badlands.

Door Trail, Miles (round trip): 0.8, Elevation: 36 feet

The Door Trail is also an easy walk on a boardwalk and ends with an opening that acts as a doorway to walk into the badlands. From here, you can follow numbered poles farther into the badlands, with views that truly make you feel like you’re on another planet!

Saddle Pass Trail, Miles (round trip): 0.7, Elevation: 216 feet

This short hike to Saddle Pass gives you a unique view of the White River Valley, with some badlands jutting out of the surface

Castle Trail, Miles (round trip): 11, Elevation: 314 feet

The Castle Trail is the longest maintained trail in the park and is a good way to get off the beaten path from the popular tourist spots. This trail will take you to the Fossil Exhibit Trail and on the Medicine Root Trail. You can also combine it with the Saddle Pass Trail for an even longer adventure!

Visit the Fossil Preparation Lab

If you’re interested in seeing paleontologists at work, visit the Fossil Preparation Lab! The lab is open from mid-June to late September and gives you the chance to see paleontologists prepare and categorize the fossils found in the park.

Drive Sage Creek Rim Road

Another popular scenic drive in the park is Sage Creek Rim Road, which is a dirt road that is safe to drive in any vehicle.

Along this road you can find three overlooks— Hay Butte, Badlands Wilderness, and Sage Creek Basin—all of which are quick roadside pull offs. This road is also a great place to see wildlife, including bison, bighorn sheep, and prairie dogs. Roberts Prairie Dog Town Roberts Prairie Dog Town is located on Sage Creek Rim Road and is a huge prairie dog habitat that is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

Prairie Dog

Here you can watch prairie dogs play and pop in and out of holes, plus hear their cute little screams. These prairie dogs are very friendly, but despite what you may hear or see from others, you should not feed or pet them! We know it’s tempting, but it’s against National Park rules.

Visit Wall Drug

Although it’s technically 10 minutes outside the park, no trip to Badlands National Park is complete without a stop at the iconic Wall Drug. What started in the 1930s as a spot offering free ice water to travelers now attracts more than 2 million people per year!

While it is pretty touristy, it’s a whole lot of fun. Be sure to walk around all the different shops, grab a five-cent coffee, and eat one of their famous cake donuts, which are phenomenal

Badlands National Park is unlike any other national park we have visited and we hope you enjoy the park’s unique and otherworldly scenery. Don’t forget to enjoy a donut for us, too! ■

Follow Kathryn and Adam Frazer on Instagram @adventuresofaplusk