The Details
Dramatic eroded buttes and spires rise above a sea of mixed-grass prairie in the heart of South Dakota.
STATE
SD
ESTABLISHED
1978
AREA
243k acres
ECOSYSTEM
Grasslands
When To Visit
Best Time To Visit
MONTH BY MONTHBEST TIME TO GO
May–June and September: moderate temperatures, green prairie, and wildlife active at dawn and dusk.
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WEATHER
CROWDS
Weather: greatokaytough — heat, cold, snow, monsoon or closures
Crowds: quietmoderatebusy
CROWDS
July–August is busiest, and traffic spikes around the early-August Sturgis rally. Winter is nearly empty.
WEATHER
Summer storms bring hail, lightning and flash floods, and highs can pass 100°F. Winters are bitterly cold and windy with blizzards.
General patterns — conditions vary by year. Check current NPS alerts and road status before you go.
How Far
Park Entrances
SET YOUR LOCATIONEvery entrance is a different drive. Enter your ZIP to compare:
Northeast Entrance
Pinnacles Entrance (near Wall)
Interior Entrance
Nearest Airports
ESTIMATED DRIVE TO THE PARKRAP
DIRECTIONS →Rapid City Regional
≈ 56 mi · ~1.1 hr drive to Pinnacles Entrance (near Wall)
Distances are rough estimates to the closest entrance. Check road and ferry conditions before you go.
What To Do
Top Things To Do
◆Drive the Badlands Loop Road (SD-240) and stop at the overlooks
◆Climb the log ladder on the Notch Trail
◆Walk the short Door and Window trails
◆Watch for bison, bighorn sheep and prairie dogs
◆Stay for the sunset and the stars
Where To Stay
Camping
Campgrounds inside the park are booked through Recreation.gov, and many fill months ahead.
FIND CAMPSITES ON RECREATION.GOV ↗Lodging & Nearby Towns
INSIDE THE PARK
Cedar Pass Lodge
GATEWAY TOWNS
WallInteriorRapid City
Cool Facts & Figures
By The Numbers
#28
LARGEST OF 64
#38
OLDEST OF 64
242,756
ACRES
48
YEARS PROTECTED
◆The park protects one of the largest remaining expanses of mixed-grass prairie in the U.S.
◆Its rocks hold one of the world’s richest fossil beds of Oligocene mammals.
Links
Plan Your Visit
OFFICIAL & TRUSTED SITESREADY TO GO?
Plan a trip to
Badlands
Badlands