Located in western South Dakota, Badlands National Park is one of the highlights of one of the nation’s premier outdoor destinations. Named for the earthen formations that define the area, Badlands National Park is one of the most unique spots in the national park system.
Lots of parks have mountains, plenty have lakes and rivers, but only on the Great Plains will you find these unique geological formations.
Whether you visit the Badlands as a standalone trip, or visit it as a part of a western road trip, the Badlands are a must see for any outdoor enthusiast.
To me, it’s one of those places that you have to see at some point in your life. While the park lacks the scale of the Rocky Mountains, or the canyons of Zion, the Great Plains is a uniquely American landscape. The sheer scale of the openness is something hard to find in the world.
Here you can find all of the information you need to start planning your trip to Badlands National Park.
If you’re planning a national parks trip, consider purchasing an America the Beautiful Pass.
What is Badlands National Park Known For?
Badlands National Park is best known for, well, the Badlands. Initially named by the Lakota people as “mako sica,” which translates as “bad lands,” the unique earthen formations give this park is claim to fame.
Formed by layers of sediment deposited over millennia, what is now the Badlands is what remains of ancient deposits of soil, fossils, and minerals. The Badlands did not always look they currently do. The current dramatic formations are the result of hundreds of thousands of years worth of erosion, and the process continue to this day.
The Badlands as we know them continue to erode, and someday around 500,000 years in the future, the formations will be gone altogether, so no need to rush your visit!
Beyond Badlands National Park
Beyond Badlands National Park, western South Dakota is sneakily one of America’s best outdoor destinations. Tucked in this corner of the northern plains is a surprisingly rugged section of the American West. You will find the sweeping windswept grasslands that typify the Great Plains, but there is so much more than that in this region of South Dakota.
The Black Hills are a classically western region of rugged hills, rock formations, and even mountains rising above the surrounding plains. Carved into these hills are the monuments of Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial. Located within the Black Hills is Custer State Park, named for the infamous Colonel George Armstrong Custer.
For the adventurous, there are multiple underground destinations for you to explore. To the south of the Black Hills is Wind Cave National Park. Below ground is the appropriately named Wind Cave, one of the longest in the world with 149 miles of explored passageways. Above ground is pristine prairie habitat supporting natural wildlife.
To the west lies Jewel Cave National Monument. Jewel Cave is even larger than Wind Cave, containing over 200 miles of mapped passageways, making it the third longest cave in the world.
Why You Should Go To Badlands National Park
One of the classic trips that I think every American should take is a roadtrip crossing the Great Plains. The sheer scale of the plains is hard to describe to someone who has not witnessed it. By far the best way to cross the plains is across South Dakota, making the Badlands a natural destination to visit.
Beyond just experiencing the plains, the Badlands are a totally unique landscape that is very rarely seen. There are other areas of badlands within and without the United States, but they are few and far between, not to mention the best example of badlands is in Badlands National Park.
Beyond the geology, Badlands National Park contains some iconic American wildlife. There is a herd of American Bison that roams the park, around 1200 individual animals. Beyond bison, expect to see countless prairie dogs, black footed ferrets, bighorn sheep, pronghorn, a species of antelope, and many more species of mammals, birds, and reptiles.
If you want to see a totally unique landscape that is classically American, you need to visit Badlands National Park.
The Good
- The geology. Chances are if you are planning a trip to Badlands, you are going for the geology. The natural formations are truly unique, and are stunning, especially at sunrise and sunset. Numerous hikes as well as the parks famed ring road thread their way through the otherworldly landscape.
- The wildlife. Gone are the days when tens of millions of bison freely roamed the Great Plains, but you can still get a taste of what that spectacle would have looked like. While Yellowstone is probably the most famous park to see bison, Badlands gives you an opportunity to see bison iconically roaming the Great Plains, where there used to be millions.
- The roadtrip potential. Badlands lends itself perfectly to being visited on a road trip. The main section of the park is located just off I-90, making it a convenient stop while crossing South Dakota. Further, it lies between the population centers of the midwest with the mountains of the west. Going to Yellowstone or Grand Teton from the midwest? If so there is no reason to skip a stop at Badlands National Park.
- The other awesome destinations close by. While it is a great place to stop as you pass through, Badlands can be the focus of an entire vacation because there is so much to do beyond the parks borders. Vist the Black Hills and see the massive monuments, or visit Custer State Park. Drive west into Wyoming and see the remarkable Devils Tower or visit Thunder Basin National Grassland. Explore Wind Cave or Jewel Cave. Visit the western towns of Rapid City, Deadwood, or Sturgis. You could easily fill a week visiting Badlands National Park and the surrounding attractions.
Consider road tripping all the way to Yellowstone beyond the Badlands!
The Bad
- The heat and the cold. In the summer it can get seriously hot. On a July afternoon, don’t be shocked if it is 100 degrees and humid. In winter, don’t even go unless you enjoy potential below zero weather and the biting wind of the plains. Be aware of the weather during your planning, and always be prepared for the conditions you will encounter.
- The lack of big hikes. In Badlands National Park itself, there aren’t really any bigtime difficult hikes. For most, that’s probably not a problem, but for those who are looking for intense alpine hikes, Badlands isn’t the place to find them. There are a multitude of awesome short hikes and trails, but this is not the place to go for big, challenging hikes.
- Getting there. Yes the park is more or less right on I-90, but that doesn’t mean it’s a quick jaunt to get there. Unless you live in South Dakota or Wyoming, you are probably looking at a full day of driving or more just to get there. And if you want to fly, there are no major airports in the close vicinity of the park. There are small airports in the area, near Rapid City and Sturgis, but you will likely pay a premium to fly into these smaller facilities.
How Long Should You Spend At Badlands National Park?
The length of your stay at Badlands will depend on the type of trip you are taking. If you are taking a big western road trip, and are passing through, you could feasibly drive the main park road in as little as an afternoon or a morning. I would recommend taking at least a day to slow down and make sure you drive the full park road, and visit all of the best viewpoints and trails.
If you are planning on staying for a while, you could easily spend weeks in the area. I think you could easily spend two weeks in the area, with the condition that you will explore the broader area.
I think you would get bored spending a full week just in the Badlands, but when you combine the Black Hills, the caves, and all of the other destinations nearby, you could easily fill a week with awesome stuff, two if you really want to explore the area.
Planning a road trip? Check out our in depth road trip planning guide.
Time Of Year
While theoretically you could visit any month of the year, you will experience wildly different conditions in each of the seasons. For me, winter would be a no go. Expect bitter cold and biting wind.
Summer is the most popular time of the year to visit Badlands, as the weather is warm and kids are out of school. While peak summer is the busiest season, I would argue that it is not the best time of year to visit.
The combination of very high temperatures and the busiest crowds of the year combine in my opinion to make a less than ideal time to visit.
If possible, the best time to see Badlands is the shoulder season, either late spring (late April through May), or early fall (September and early October).
Whether you should visit in spring or fall will depend on if you are continuing into the high mountains of the Rockies. If you are planning to continue on to Yellowstone or Grand Teton, fall would be a better option as you would deal with less snow, and more open roads and facilities.
If you are not planning on continuing to the mountains, spring would be a fine time to visit, with peak wildflower season beginning in May.
Top Things To Do
Drive the loop road. The loop road in Badlands National Park is a real gem, and is a must see for any visitors to the park. Easily doable in an hour or two if you’re in a hurry, or up to a full day if you fully explore all it has to offer, the loop road will take you deep into the labyrinth of natural formations and lead you to some of the best viewpoint in the park.
Go for a hike. Badlands has tons of awesome hikes, most of them short and easily accessible. You don’t need to be in mountain climbing shape to be able to tackle the hikes here, most are fairly short, and reasonably flat (you are in the Great Plains after all!). Simply driving the loop road will take you past many of the trailheads, but continue reading to see our list of recommended hikes in Badlands National Park.
See some wildlife. Simply going for a drive will probably end up with you seeing some seriously cool wildlife, but there are a few places you can go to give yourself the best chances. Visit Roberts Prairie Dog Town to stop by a colony of hundreds of prairie dogs. For bison, your best chance to see the herd is likely from Sage Creek Rim Road in the northwestern part of the park. Or, go beyond park borders and visit Belle Fourche National Wildlife Refuge, Custer State Park, and Thunder Basin National Grassland for additional wildlife viewing opportunities.
Best Hikes In Badlands National Park
While there are no hikes in Badlands National Park I would consider difficult, there are numerous excellent easy and moderate trails to choose from. Don’t be rude; always following basic etiquette when on trail!
Best Easy Hikes
Notch Trail: 1.3 miles, 130 ft
Hike into the Badlands and over the famed wooden ladder on this short hike into the Badlands.
The Door Trail: .8 miles, 30 ft
Just a short walk off the road, take this easy trail for great views into the Badlands.
Window Trail: .3 miles, 10 ft
More of a viewpoint than a trail, get out of your car and walk to this easily reached panoramic viewpoint.
Best Moderate Hikes
Castle Trail: 10.5 miles, 310 ft
One of the only longer hikes in the park, this flat hike will take you away from the road and into some of the wilder parts of the park. If you are looking for a longer day hike, this is your best option.
Always be sure to follow the 7 Leave No Trace Principles when in the outdoors.
Disability access
Badlands National Park offers numerous services for people with disabilities. I think this is a park where those with disabilities will be able to access a big chunk of what the park has to offer.
Both visitor centers are accessible to wheelchair users, and Cedar Pass campground has a couple of sites that are fully accessible for wheelchair users. Most overlooks and viewpoints are accessible to wheelchairs, and many actually consist of boardwalks accessible to all.
Tips For Visiting Badlands National Park
- Drive the loop road. If you’re not totally sure what you want to do, it will give you a good start as most of the top attractions can be accessed from the loop road. If you know what you want to do, you’ll likely know that you want to drive the loop road anyway.
- Visit the other attractions nearby. If you’re spending time in the area, it is definitely worth it to see the Black Hills, one of the caves, or any of the other natural attractions in the area. Go for a drive, you’ll probably see something interesting!
- Don’t plan on a whole day to see Mount Rushmore, and don’t raise your expectations too much. I thought it was very underwhelming, and it’s one of the more disappointing attractions I have seen. It was much smaller than I was expecting, and I didn’t even feel like it was worth it to pay the parking fee. Combine it with a visit somewhere else in the Black Hills, maybe Custer State Park.
Where To Stay
Camping
If you plan on camping, staying within park boundaries is an option. Badlands National Park has two campgrounds, Cedar Pass Campground and Sage Creek Campground. Cedar Pass Campground has 96 sites, and does take reservations. It is open all year.
Sage Creek Campground is less developed. You will have to drive down a gravel road to get there, they don’t take reservations, and motorhomes and RVs over 18 feet are prohibited.
Outside the park, there are additional camping opportunities. With a wide enough search area, the choices are nearly limitless. If you want to camp just outside the park entrances, one option is Badlands KOA. Another close option is Sleepy Hollow Campground.
Indoor Lodging
If you are not a huge fan of camping and are planning on staying in a city or town, there are a few options that could work for you. Just off I-90 very close to the park is the town of Wall, South Dakota. It’s a small town with less than 1,000 people, but if you are looking for simple lodging close to the park, this is a very good option.
The biggest city near Badlands is Rapid City. Rapid City is about 60 miles away from the park, so it is a little bit of a drive, but if you are looking to stay somewhere with extensive amenities, Rapid city is likely the best choice.
Throughout the Black Hills, there are small towns that offer a cool western flavor. The town of Deadwood is known for its old west flavor, and features old west reenactments. In the heart of the Black Hills, the town of Custer is another small town that would give you great access to Custer State Park as well as Wind Cave National Park.
Whatever your lodging preference, there are enough towns and infrastructure to find something that will work for you. Whether it be camping, hotel, condo, or luxury lodging, you’ll find somewhere to your liking around the Badlands and Black Hills.
Must See Spots
- Drive the loop road. Seriously. If you only have a couple hours for a stop on your drive further west, you can still make the drive and stop at a few viewpoints. It’s definitely worth it.
- Take a drive through the Black Hills. The country is beautiful, it’s filled with wildlife, the towns have a really cool flavor, and the roads are awesome. If you’re a fan of scenic drives, I highly recommend highway 16A through Custer State Park. It’s winding course goes through gorgeous terrain, including one way tunnels and crazy tight switchback turns. It was on this road that I first saw bison up close. A herd decided to wander across the road in front of traffic. A couple were mere feet from my drivers window as they wandered past.
- Explore beyond the park. I just elaborated on this in the prior bullet, but the area beyond park boundaries is just as amazing as the park itself. The Black Hills, Wind Cave, Jewel Cave, Devils Tower, all places worth a visit. Get out and explore.
- Get off the beaten path. Some of the best driving I have done was on random back roads in rural South Dakota and Wyoming. On my way towards Yellowstone, I left I-90 in favor of the 2 lane highways going west. It takes you back to decades past, and really allows you to see the country. I personally recommend highway 16A through the Black Hills, and highway 16 going west into Wyoming.
If you’re thinking about taking a trip to see the Badlands, just go ahead and do it, you won’t regret it. The jagged formations rising out of the Great Plains is like nothing else you will ever see. It truly is one of America’s most unique places, and in my opinion, a place every American should see once!
Links for Further Reading
Badlands National Park: Underrated and Awesome
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