Visiting Badlands National Park is a relatively straightforward affair. There are not too many complications with this one. The majority of visitors are just passing through, so if you’re staying for a while, you’ll be in for a treat.
Here are some things you’ll want to know before visiting Badlands.
Guide to Badlands
Where is Badlands National Park?
Badlands National Park is located in southwestern South Dakota, just to the south of Interstate 90. The park has a north and a south unit, but the north unit is more popular, and holds the vast majority of the services and popular scenic attractions found in the park.
MOREThose arriving from the east on I-90 will take Exit 131 and follow signs to the Northeast Entrance, while the western arrivals will be better suited to use Exit 110 and the Pinnacles Entrance. Highway 44 from Rapid City provides a more enjoyable alternative and introduces the Badlands scenery in a more subtle manner. Park Junkie always prefers back roads to the interstate.
The Badlands are a couple hour’s drive east of the Black Hills Region and Wind Cave National Park. These parks, combined with Jewel Cave National Monument and Mount Rushmore, along with Custard State Park make the area a great Park Junkie destination and offer plenty of activity.
Entrance Fee at Badlands
As a Park Junkie, you already have the National Parks Pass, aka the Interagency Pass. It’s only $80 and is one of the best purchases you’ll make this year. It grants entrance to more than 400 national park service units and is an economic necessity for those who make it a practice to visit multiple parks in a calendar year.
MOREYou may also access the park with a Military Pass, Annual 4th Grade Pass, a Senior Pass, an Access Pass or a Volunteer Pass.
These passes can be obtained at the gate to most national park units and can also be ordered online at https://store.usgs.gov/pass.
If this idea doesn’t turn you on, prepare to spend $30 to enter the park. It should be stated, that Park Junkie writes fortune cookies on his days off, and he predicts this fee will certainly increase, much like postal rates and taxes…
For current entrance fees in Badlands National Park, check out the park’s entrance fee page.
Visitor Centers in Badlands
Your first stop in the park should probably be at the visitor center, to acquire the latest information regarding the park’s attractions. There are two visitor centers in Badlands National Park, one in the North Unit, and one in the South Unit, which is better known as the Stronghold Unit.
MOREBen Reifel Visitor Center
The Ben Reifel Visitor Center is located in the North Unit, on the Badlands Loop Road, near the southeastern corner of the park. This visitor center provides a variety of exhibits that detail the geologic history of the park, and is home to the Badlands Fossil Preparation Lab. This research center processes the high number of fossils that are recovered annually in the park.
In addition to the Fossil Prep Lab, there is a bookstore and a theatre, which shows the park introductory film.
NPS – Badlands – Ben Reifel Visitor Center
White River Visitor Center
The Stronghold Unit’s White River Visitor Center provides information for guests who make their way to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and the park’s southern unit. This area of the park is less developed, and is thus, less visited.
This fact alone may persuade a few Park Junkies to check out the Stronghold Unit. If so, a stop to speak with rangers at the White River Visitor can set you up for success. This visitor center is usually staffed with rangers who are members of the Oglala Lakota Tribe, who own the land upon which the national park sits.
Many of these rangers grew up on these lands, and have great knowledge of the terrain, as well as the historic details of the past couple of centuries. Be sure to ask about any upcoming programs, as rangers at the White River Visitor Center occasionally offer historical and cultural programs that provide unique insight into the social and historical complexities of the Badlands.
Seasons in Badlands
When it comes to weather, the Badlands are a land of extremes. A summer hike on a sun-baked 115°F day, a sudden tornado, or a winter visit during a -40°F blizzard will clearly illustrate why early travelers referred to this area as the Badlands.
MORESpring – Springtime is a great time to visit, but it can still be a chilly affair. The area’s slightly higher humidity can make it feel a bit colder than it actually is. No worries, you brought plenty of layers right?
Summer – The heat is on… As with most places, the summer is the hot season in Badlands. Summers here can be dry, but can be wet too, so be prepared for either. Summers in the badlands can bring sudden storms of great force, and hailstorms are not uncommon. The park receives 16 inches of precipitation annually, a great deal of which arrives in June.
Fall – This is my favorite time to visit the Badlands. The days shorten, and chilly evenings can require a sweater or puffy, but the daytime temperatures are usually still quite welcoming for a multitude of hours outside. The crisp air just reminds you to keep after it, because the bitter cold is just around the corner.
Winter – Don’t let that -40°F thing deter you from a winter visit to Badlands. The average temperature is actually around the freezing mark, but let’s not become complacent, it can get cold quick! The park averages anywhere between 12 to 24 inches of snowfall each winter and a visit during such a time will likely provide incredible photographic opportunities.
Pets in Badlands
The park allows pets, but in a limited capacity. All pets must be kept on a leash of less than 6 feet at all times and in all permitted areas. Pets are welcome in campgrounds and picnic areas, as well as backroads and pullouts.
MOREFour-legged Park Junkies are prohibited from all hiking trails, backcountry wilderness areas, and of course, all prairie dog colonies. If your best friend would like to take a hike, there are options. Consider a nice healthy walk on one of the park’s dirt roadways, such as the Sage Creek Road, or the Sheep Mountain Table Road in the Stronghold Unit.
Please clean up after your pet, and dispose of animal waste in garbage receptacles.
Camping in Badlands
Badlands National Park contains two established campgrounds, one is developed and is located near the park headquarters, while one is primitive and remote. The Cedar Pass and the Sage Creek Campgrounds offer the perfect opportunity to sleep under the stars.
MORECedar Pass Campground
Conveniently located just south of the Ben Reifel Visitor Center, the Cedar Pass Campground can make a perfect base camp for folks who want to stay close to the park’s developed trails and services. This campground is open seasonally, see the link below for exact dates of availability.
The campground offers 96 sites, some that accommodate RVs with electric hookups, but no water or sewer. There are also 4 group sites. Most sites come standard with fantastic views of the surrounding Badlands.
Each site has a picnic table with a trendy little shade shelter. Bathrooms with flushing toilets are nearby, as well as pay showers. There is potable water, and the Cedar Pass Lodge & Restaurant is within walking distance. Campfires are prohibited.
Campsites in the Cedar Creek Campground are managed by the Cedar Creek Lodge and can be reserved in advance. Use the link below to reserve your spot, or to acquire more information.
Sage Creek Campground
The Sage Creek Campground is the free option in Badlands. It is primitive, and is located slightly out-of-the-way, near the park’s western boundary on the Sage Creek Road.
This campground is first-come, first-served and offers 22 sites with picnic tables and shade shelters. Pit toilets are provided, but no water is available.
Due to the primitive nature of the Sage Creek Road, vehicle lengths greater than 18 feet are prohibited. The only exception to this rule is for horse trailers, which are able to access the designated horse camp sites at the eastern edge of the campground. There are hitching posts, and a watering hole for the horses.
Backcountry Camping
For those who yearn for the days of wayback, when you could just pull over and throw down in the wilderness, backcountry camping is an option in Badlands. As of 2021, no permit is required for backcountry camping. The only requirement is that your camp be located at least .5 mile from the roadway, and that the camp not be visible from the road.
So yeah, just pull over, hike out there, pitch your tent and enjoy…
Home sweet home, Mr. L…
Lodging in Badlands
The only lodging option available inside the park is the Cedar Pass Lodge, which offers cabin rentals. The lodge is located near the Ben Reifel Visitor Center, putting it right in the middle of the Badlands action.
MOREEach cabin is fitted with a bathroom with a hot shower and a TV. These are nice little cabins, and were built in 2013, using repurposed wood. The interiors of the cabins are constructed of beetle kill pine from the Black Hills. No Pets…
Dining in Badlands
If you’re hungry in the Badlands, you’ll be happy to know there is an option, albeit only one. But what did you really expect. This is the Badlands after all… Those poor folks who named this place didn’t have nearly the options you do.
MOREThe Cedar Lodge Restaurant offers a full-service menu, in addition to snacks and to-go food. Check out their website for more information.
Picnic in Badlands
The other option is the old-fashioned picnic. The park offers four locations, in addition to the two campgrounds, that provide shaded picnic tables.
Ben Reifel Visitor Cetner
Big Foot Pass Overlook
Conata Picnic Area
White River Visitor Center
Outside the Park
Although the Badlands are somewhat remote, there are a few camping options in the surrounding area. Most of these are near the park entrance. Campgrounds are listed below in order of distance from park, with the closest campgrounds listed first.
MOREGuide to Badlands
Relevant Links
National Park Guides
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