Badlands National Park
Striped spires and canyons on the open prairie, home to bison, bighorn sheep and ancient fossils.
Photo: Martin Kraft · CC BY-SA 3.0
Badlands guide: the Badlands Loop Road, the Door, Notch and Fossil Exhibit trails, wildlife on Sage Creek Rim Road, stargazing and how it fits a trip to Mount Rushmore.
Badlands: what to expect
Badlands National Park in South Dakota protects one of the richest fossil beds on Earth and a maze of buttes, pinnacles and gullies striped in red, yellow and white. The soft rock erodes about 2.5 centimeters a year, so the landscape is always changing.
The Badlands Loop Road follows the Badlands Wall between the Northeast and Pinnacles entrances, with overlooks such as Big Badlands and Yellow Mounds. Near the Ben Reifel Visitor Center, the Door Trail leads into the formations, the Notch Trail climbs a log ladder to a view over the White River Valley, and the Fossil Exhibit Trail shows replicas of the ancient mammals found here.
On the unpaved Sage Creek Rim Road, bison, pronghorn and prairie dog towns are a common sight, and bighorn sheep often stand on the cliffs near the Pinnacles Overlook. After dark, the clear prairie sky makes the park a fine place for stargazing.
Rapid City is about an hour away, so many travelers combine the park with Mount Rushmore and Custer State Park in the Black Hills. The town of Wall, at the northern entrance, is known for the roadside stop Wall Drug.
Badlands: top things to do
- 1Sunrise along the Badlands Loop Road
- 2The log ladder on the Notch Trail
- 3Bison along Sage Creek Rim Road
- 4The Fossil Exhibit Trail
Badlands: best time to visit
May–June and September–October. Summer days can be very hot, with sudden storms.
Badlands: insider tips
- Carry water on every trail; there is almost no shade.
- Watch for rattlesnakes, especially near prairie dog towns.
- Drive the loop road early or late, when the light brings out the colors of the rock.
Fees, passes and parking
| What | Price |
|---|---|
| Private vehicle | $30 per vehicle, 7 days |
| Motorcycle | $25 per vehicle, 7 days |
| Per person (on foot or bike) | $15 per person, 7 days |
| Annual pass for this park | $55 per year |
- America the Beautiful pass accepted: $80 a year for US residents, $250 for others (also covers the $100 fee).
- US residents enter free on a few fee-free days.
Checked Oct 26, 2026. Official prices
Gas and fast charging nearby
3 gas stations within 20 km
- 16.8 km Conoco
- 16.8 km Exxon open 24 hours
- 16.9 km Gas station
- 17.3 km Tesla Supercharger Fast chargers (Supercharger)
OpenStreetMap data, Oct 28, 2026.
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