What Is Badlands National Park?
This national park protects vast landscapes of jagged sandstone formations dating back to the Upper Cretaceous!
What Makes It Beautiful?
Access to the Badlands is very controlled, so with few trails, the best way to experience this park is from overlooks along the Badlands Loop Road! Luckily, these landscapes are breathtaking in scope, spanning as far as the horizon with jagged peaks and (in winter) specklings of snow! It’s long been a haven for animals too, from mosasaurs in the watery Cretaceous to ancient horses and rhinos during the Eocene to today’s hordes of bison and prairie dogs! For being badlands (Mako Sica in Lakota), there sure are fine views and photographic angles galore!
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Pay the entrance fee to help maintain trails, signs, structures, and other visitor services!
- Volunteer at Badlands National Park!
- Donate to the Friends of Wind Cave National Park!
- Be a responsible visitor! Remember the old adages: Pack out what you pack in! Take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints!
How Do I Get There?
West Entrance
- Glenn St, 7.1 miles south of I-90
Wall, SD 57790
East Entrance
- SD-240, 3.5 miles south of I-90
Interior, SD 57750
When Should I Visit the Park?
From April to October, the visitor center is open daily from 8:00 AM until 5:00 PM, but the rest of the year, it’s open 9:00 AM until 4:00 PM!
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