Badlands National Park
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Badlands National Park Travel Guide
At Badlands National Park, South Dakota's prairie suddenly erupts into a fortress of eroded spires and ridges. Multicolored buttes and pinnacles glow pink at dawn and rust at dusk, while mixed-grass prairie spreads toward the horizon. Once an inland sea, this landscape now shelters bison, bighorn sheep, and prairie dogs in an otherworldly maze visited by roughly a million people each year. The Ben Reifel Visitor Center anchors the North Unit near Wall, while the South Unit protects sacred sites of the Oglala Lakota.
Badlands is where the prairie suddenly erupts into a fortress of jagged buttes and spires, striped in pinks and rusts that glow at dawn and dusk, and where bison, bighorn sheep and prairie dogs move like ghosts through a sea of mixed‑grass.
How to Get There
Badlands is 75 miles east of Rapid City via Interstate 90. Take exit 131 for the Northeast Entrance or exit 110 for the Pinnacles Entrance; State Highway 44 offers a scenic alternative. Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP) is the closest major airport, offering rental cars. Many travelers combine Badlands with nearby attractions like Wall Drug, the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site, or the Black Hills and Mount Rushmore (about two hours west). There is no public transportation within the park, so driving is essential.
Know Before You Go
A $30 entrance fee per vehicle covers admission for seven consecutive days. Summer can be scorching with little shade; plan to carry at least a gallon of water per person per day and wear sun protection. Keep at least 100 feet from bison and other wildlife. Rattlesnakes lurk under boardwalks, so stay on trails and back away if you hear a rattle. Gravel roads may become impassable after heavy rain. Cedar Pass Lodge is the only in-park dining option, and cell service is unavailable in many areas.
Best Time to Visit
June through September bring warm days and frequent thunderstorms, while May and October offer cooler temperatures and smaller crowds. To avoid crowds, visit in September or early June; May and October are budget-friendly shoulder seasons. Winter is long and quiet with snow and ice that may close roads, but rewards the hardy with solitude and starry nights.
Best Things to Do
Drive the Badlands Loop Road (Highway 240) for sweeping views and easy access to overlooks like Panorama Point, Big Badlands, and Pinnacles Overlook. Stop at the Ben Reifel Visitor Center to see fossils and exhibits about Lakota history. Ranger programs introduce geology and paleontology. Wildlife watching is a highlight, where you'll likely see bison herds, pronghorns, prairie dogs, and possibly a coyote or black-footed ferret. Near the Wall Entrance, the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site tells stories of the Cold War.
Best Hikes
Notch Trail (1.5 miles round trip, moderate): Scramble through a canyon and climb a log ladder to reach a dramatic cliff-edge view.
Door Trail (0.75 mile, easy): Boardwalks lead into a natural "door" opening with close views of fossil formations and spires.
Medicine Root Loop (4 miles, moderate): Combines the Castle and Medicine Root loops for prairie vistas and wildflowers.
Castle Trail (10 miles, strenuous): The park's longest maintained trail crosses prairie and badlands between the Fossil Exhibit Area and the Door/Notch trailhead.
Places to Stay
Cedar Pass Campground features 96 sites, each equipped with restrooms and some shade; reservations are recommended. Sage Creek Campground, located in the western backcountry, is a primitive and free campground with first-come, first-served tent sites. The historic Cedar Pass Lodge provides cabins near the visitor center. Outside the park, Wall and Interior have motels and RV parks. Nearby, the town of Interior features a handful of small restaurants and grocery stores.
Places to Eat
In the park, the Cedar Pass Lodge restaurant serves bison burgers, fry bread, and other regional dishes. Picnic tables are available at major overlooks. In Wall, don't miss the famous Wall Drug Store for coffee, doughnuts, and hearty meals. Rapid City boasts a diverse dining scene, ranging from breweries to steakhouses, making it perfect for pairing with the Badlands and the Black Hills.
Fast Facts
Location: Southwestern South Dakota
Area: ~244,000 acres
Established: 1939 (national monument), 1978 (national park)
Visitors: ~1 million annually
Headquarters: Interior, SD
Tags: Fossils, Prairie, Badlands
