Badlands South Dakota

The Badlands of South Dakota is a National Park that lies about an hour east of Rapid City along Interstate Highway 90. The landscape was formed by wind and rain erosion and covers an area of 244,000 acres which is rich in fossils. It's easy to view the area by taking Highway 240 which travels through the park.

The entrance fee for a private vehicle in 2010 was $14.

I was able to spend only a couple of hours there during this trip but for those with more time, there is plenty of hiking available in the area.

Seeing the sun or the moon rise over the badlands is spectacular and any time of year will do. Personally, I think September may offer the most moderate temperatures with an average high of 81 degrees Fahrenheit and a average low of 51. The average precipitation in September is also reasonable at 1.23 inches.

This rocky area is somewhat soft to walk on, but it contains very little in the way of plant life, leaving the many colors of the rock visible. Aside from these rocky gorges and painted cliffs that make the area famous, there is also a huge wild prairie/grassland to explore and observe wildlife. Bison, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, coyote, eagles, prairie dogs, and other animals call this area home.

There are a couple of visitor centers where you can get maps and other information about the Badlands. One is the Ben Reifel Visitor Center in the Cedar Pass area, several miles southeast of the Pinnacles Entrance on the north side of the park. The other is the White River Visitor Center on the southern edge of the park.

Of course you can also find hiking trail information on Trails.com. While there are plenty of trails in the Badlands, visitors and hikers should avoid climbing on the rocks themselves to avoid injury and to prevent damage to this somewhat fragile area.

Even if you don't have the time or the inclination to hike, a visit to the Badlands is worth your time. There are dozens of scenic overlooks that will get you close to this landscape which is particularly dramatic along the northeastern side of the park.

There are cabins, lodges, ranches, and camping in the area of course. You can make reservations at the Cedar Pass Lodge, in surrounding towns, or learn more about the camping that is available. No reservations are required for camping.

There are educational programs as well including a night sky solar viewing program. I'm not aware of any horses for rent in the park although I know horseback riding is allowed. As far as I know there is no four wheeling, hunting, or fishing available in the Badlands National Park, but the scenic drive, wildlife observing, hiking, and camping are worth the visit.

If you're planning a visit to the Badlands of South Dakota even if just for an afternoon, I would recommend bringing along a camera, binoculars, and sunscreen. The temperatures can vary a great deal with cloud cover and time of day so layering is wise and keeping rain gear on hand is advised as well.

Of course if you plan to do a lot of hiking, then a GPS device or compass would be helpful as well as water to stay hydrated.

Badlands National Park trails include the .75 mile Door Trail which runs along a boardwalk and another easy trail known as the Window Trail which is only .25 mi. long and provides another good view of the canyon. The Notch Trail is 1.5 miles long and is more strenuous as it winds through the canyon and then provides a dramatic view ot the White River Valley.

The Castle Trail is 10 miles long but is fairly level. The Cliff Shelf Trail is .5 mi. long and takes visitors through a juniper forest along the Badlands Wall and sometimes provides a view of wildlife gathering at a nearby pond.

The Saddle Pass Trail is .25 mi. but strenuous with a climb up the Badlands Wall. The Medicine Root Loop is 4 miles long and covers gently rolling ground through the mixed grass prairie. The Fossil Exhibit Trail is .25 mi. long and provides a view of fossil replicas and exhibits.