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PO Box 6, Interior, SD 57750
Phone: 605-433-5361
Fax: 605-433-5248
Open All Year
Overview. Famous for fossils and once feared by French fur trappers, the Badlands now attract over a million visitors every year. Eons ago, a huge marshy plain began to dry up, forcing some animal species to die off or move away while new ones took their place. Preserved as layers of sedimentary rock, dry fossil beds reveal secrets of an ancient ecosystem long since changed. Grassy plains dotted with groups of trees characterize the prairie landscape now. Small mammals such as chipmunks and porcupines live close to the trees, while birds such as swifts and swallows nest in the water-carved cliffs. Out on the prairie, bison, elk, grizzly bear, and gray wolves once ruled, but successive waves of pioneers killed them off or pushed them out. The classic Badlands landscape remains the forbidding, otherworldly rock formations looming high above the sometimes-green floor. For about 11,000 years human beings have lived on the Badlands prairie. First paleo-Indians, then Arikara Indians, and later the Oglala Sioux (or Lakota) populated the area. Once French fur trappers penetrated the area, several groups of settlers followed. Cattle ranchers and homesteaders, backed by the U.S. Army, contested the Sioux for the land, eventually driving the Native Americans out or onto reservations. During the conservation movement of the early twentieth century, the Badlands' prairie, wildlife, and fossil beds were seen as worthy of preservation. In 1939, President Roosevelt established the Badlands National Monument; in 1976, 133,300 acres of the Pine Ridge Reservation were added, to be administered by the Park Service and the Oglala Sioux Tribe. Designated a national park in 1978, the 244,300-acre area preserves the sweep of prairie and the sublimity of massive rock formations. What to see and do. This park can be divided into three main areas: the popular eastern finger of the North Unit, the Sage Creek Wilderness Area, and the Pine Ridge Reservation section, or Stronghold Unit. If you'd like a driving tour of the park, start at the Northeast Entrance. Before you get to the Ben Reifel Visitor Center, you'll have the chance to walk several short nature trails. They range in length from three-quarters to one-and-one-half miles, and in difficulty from easy and paved to tough going. Pick up a self-guiding tour booklet at the trailhead for a solid introduction to Badlands geography. At the visitor center, which is open year-round except for major holidays, rangers conduct summer programs and you can watch a movie and walk through exhibits, all designed to acquaint you with the park's unique attractions. Cedar Pass campground lies close by. During the summer, campers can participate in guided nature walks and other ranger programs. The campground is first-come, first-served and usually has open spots. Once you head out onto the Badlands Loop Road (Hwy 240), don't miss the Fossil Exhibit Trail. Along this quarter-mile paved trail, you'll examine firsthand the fossil evidence of Badlands life millions of years ago. Follow the road, stopping at 13 scenic overlooks to fully appreciate the landscape. Look for Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep or the occasional golden eagle. Before you turn north and head out of the park, consider taking the unpaved Sage Creek Rim road into the 64,250-acre wilderness area. Keep vehicles on designated roads to preserve the backcountry terrain. At the end of the road, you'll find the Sage Creek campground, but be prepared for minimal conditions. The wilderness area is just that--wilderness--and campers and hikers should expect to be on their own: no trails and no designated camp sites. For the adventurous who enjoy a less-traveled landscape, the Stronghold Unit provides more opportunity for exploration. Roads are scarce and usually unpaved, so you should check with a ranger at the White River Visitor Center (open in summertime) about possible washouts before you start. Be sure to see the exhibits detailing Oglala Sioux culture. One highlight of the Stronghold section is the Sheep Mountain Table. From this overlook, a splendid view of rock spires spreads before you. The cultural centerpiece of this section is the Stronghold Table, where the Oglala Sioux danced the Ghost Dance for the last time in 1890. To reach this place, you'll need to drive with a topographic map over rutted dirt roads. Hikers and bikers are welcome in the park. If you bring your bike, you must stay on designated roads, just as cars do, in order not to disturb the backcountry. Enough dirt and gravel roads snake through the park to afford some demanding and lengthy loops; check with the visitor centers for directions. Hikers will perhaps enjoy the park's resources best. Prairie dogs, wrens, and sometimes wildflowers surround you as you slowly make your way across wind-swept landscapes. Bring water at all times, for it can be hot and dry, but also bring raingear for protection against sudden summer storms. Keep in mind that no open fires are allowed in the park. Winters in the Badlands see some skiing but no snowmobiling. Usually the snow blows thin across the land, not leaving much cover for winter sports. Year-round, the Badlands are often considered a good stop on the way to another area, such as the Black Hills or even further to Yellowstone.
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Bird Watching |
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Geological Sites |
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Gift Shop |
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Historic Sites |
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Self-guided Tours |
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Visitor Center |
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Wildflower Viewing |
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Wildlife Viewing |
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