A travel guide to Badlands National Park for first-time visitors

Badlands National Park is known for its unique rock formations. You will also find prairie land, bison, and prairie dog town. You’re excited to visit Badlands National Park and want to know the best time of year to visit, where to stay, what not to miss, and where to eat. Researching the best things to do while visiting Badlands National Park when you work full-time is exhausting, and you don’t have hours to spend online. Save time and plan an unforgettable trip filled with the best activities with our Badlands National Park travel guide.

He reads Mount Rushmore National Memorial Travel Guide for First-Time Visitors

Plan your visit with our Badlands National Park travel guide

Where is Badlands National Park located?

Badlands National Park is 242,756 acres of the northern Great Plains and is located in the southwestern corner of South Dakota just off I-90. The nearest city is Rapid City, South Dakota.

How to get to Badlands National Park

Visit Badlands National Park as part of a road trip, or fly to Rapid City Regional Airport, rent a car, and drive one hour east. There are three entrances to the garden: Al-Dhara Entrance (enter from the west), the Inner Entrance (enter from the south), and the northeastern entrance (enter from the east). There is no public transportation in Badlands National Park.

Badlands National Park entrance fees and park hours

Badlands National Park is open 24 hours a day, all year round. A standard park ticket costs $30 for 7 days. If you visit several parks over the course of a year, consider purchasing America the Beautiful Passage For unlimited access to all US National Parks.

How many days do I need to stay in Badlands National Park?

One day is enough to experience the highlights of Badlands National Park.

Accommodation in Badlands National Park

There are two campgrounds in Badlands National Park: Cedar Pass Campground and Sage Creek Campground. Backcountry permits are also available at the Ranger Station. Boondocking is available in Nomad View and Steer Pasture Overlook. Cedar Pass Lodge offers cabin rentals within the park boundaries.

I visited Badlands National Park on a day trip from Mount Rushmore. I stayed in Powder House Inn In Keystone and loved the property and restaurant.

Facts about Badlands National Park

The Badlands was established as a national monument in 1929 and designated as a national park in 1978.

Nearly one million people visit Badlands National Park each year.

The name Badlands comes from the Lakota tribe, who first called it “mako sika,” or “bad land.”

Badlands National Park has one of the densest collections of fossils in the world.

Bison, prairie dogs, and bighorn sheep live in the badlands.

The Oglala Lakota tribe lives in the southern unit of the Badlands; It is sacred land.

Best time of year to visit Badlands National Park

Autumn (August-November) is the best time to visit the Badlands. Summer (June, July and August) is the busiest time of year in the Badlands. Summers are very hot in the Badlands, expect temperatures to reach 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Thunderstorms and tornadoes are possible in the summer months. Spring brings rain, hailstorms, and wind gusts of up to 50 mph. Winter temperatures can be below freezing with snow cover.

Where to eat in Badlands National Park

Cedar Pass Lodge & Café is the only restaurant inside the park, and is located next to the Visitor Center. Alternatively, you can bring a picnic lunch with you. There are many dining options in nearby Wall.

Things to do in Badlands National Park

The best views in Badlands National Park

Sunrise: Doorway, Big Badlands View, Peaks View, Panoramic Point.

Sunset: Konata Basin View, High Butte View, Peak Peak View.

Famous trails and hikes in Badlands National Park

Cliff Shelf Nature Trail: 0.5 mile loop

Notch Path: 1.3 miles RT

Window Trail: .25 miles on the boardwalk

Door Trail: 0.25 miles on the boardwalk

Saddle trail: .5 RT, uphill

Castle Trail: 10 miles RT

There are three main biking trails in the park: Sage Creek Loop (21 miles), Northeast-Big Foot Loop (27 miles), and Northeast Loop (17 miles).

How to Spend a Perfect Day in Badlands National Park

Drive the Badlands Loop Road Scenic Drive and stop at 12 overlooks along the way. Don’t miss: Big Badlands Overlook, Cedar Pass, Norbeck Pass, Panorama Point, Conata Basin Overlook, Yellow Mounds Overlook, or Pinnacles Overlook.

Hike the Notch Trail 1.3 miles through the valley

Drive the Sage Creek Rim Road to Hay Butte Overlook and Roberts Prairie Dog Town

Stop by Wall Drug on your way out of the park for some souvenirs and snacks

Things to do near Badlands National Park

Mount Rushmore National Memorial

(Deadwood, South Dakota).

Custer State Park and Needles Scenic Drive

Wind Cave National Park

Black Hills National Forest

Tips for visiting Badlands National Park

Badlands is a park open to hiking. You can hike anywhere within the park.

Badland formations are more fragile than they appear; Stay away from the edge.

Remember that you have to get down what you get on, as the rocks can be slippery.

Watch for rattlesnakes on the trails.

Do not feed prairie dogs.

Don’t rely on cell phone service; Download a park map from the National Park Service app in advance.

This park has very little shade. Pack sunscreen, a hat, a reusable water bottle, and bug spray for this trip.

Temperature changes are rapid. Dress in layers.

Leashed dogs are allowed in campgrounds and picnic areas.

Restrooms are located at the Door/Window/Crack Trail, Fossil Exhibit Trail, Visitor Center, and Pinnacles Overlook.

Badlands Trading Post has a Conoco gas station and convenience store.

It is illegal to remove anything from national park land; If you find a fossil, tell the ranger.

Horseback riding is permitted anywhere in rough terrain except trails, roads, and developed areas.

Wildlife is wild. By law, you must stay at least 100 yards away from bears and wolves and 25 yards away from all other animals (bison, elk, pronghorn, and moose).

He practices Leave no trace principles

buying America the Beautiful Passage And keep exploring the national parks

verify National Park Service For upcoming festivals, special events and what’s happening during your stay.

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