3 day itinerary in Badlands

South Dakota

1 - 5 days

3 day

itinerary in

Badlands

Amphitheater

Amphitheater used for evening programs and special events.

The amphitheater is used during periods of high visitation for evening programs, night sky viewing, and other special events.

Ancient Hunters Overlook

Overlook in park with exhibit on paleo-Indians, walking time available.

One of multiple overlooks in the park that provide expansive views of the Badlands. This overlook has a wayside exhibit sharing the history of paleo-Indians in the region.

Badlands Bison Corral

Badlands bison corrals off-limits, visible along road.

The Badlands bison corrals are off-limits to the public but can be seen along the road.

Badlands Gunnery Range

Location offers view of historic gunnery range, walking time 10 minutes.

This location provides an expansive view of the historic gunnery range.

Badlands Tunnels

Badlands Tunnels, former passageways through rock formations, now bypassed.

Badlands Tunnels is an area that used to have passageways through the badlands formations rather than the present-day passage around them.

Badlands Wall

Badlands Wall extends across the park.

The Badlands Wall is a feature that extends a wide swath of the park.

Badlands Wilderness Overlook

Scenic overlooks offer views of park's wilderness.

One of multiple overlooks throughout the park that provide an opportunity to take in the expansive wilderness area of the park.

Big Badlands Overlook

View eastern Badlands wall at Big Badlands Overlook, walking available.

Big Badlands Overlook provides the opportunity to view the eastern portion of the Badlands wall.

Bigfoot Pass Overlook

View beautiful badlands vistas, historically significant route, walking time available.

This overlook provides an opportunity to see stunning badlands vistas as well as a historically significant route.

Burns Basin Overlook

Accessible overlook with boardwalk, bench, and badlands view.

One of multiple overlooks throughout the park that provides accessible experiences for all visitors to enjoy the park. This one features a boardwalk and a bench overlooking a vast badlands landscape.

Castle Trailhead

Longest trail in park, begins at Door and Window parking.

Moderate. The longest trail in the park begins at the Door and Window parking area and travels five miles one way to the Fossil Exhibit Trail. Relatively level, the path passes along some badlands formations. 10 miles/16 km (round trip)

Cedar Butte

Cedar Butte in South Unit park, accessible by foot.

Cedar Butte is a feature located in the South Unit of the park and is accessible by foot through a barbed wire fence.

Cedar Pass Lodge

Cedar Pass Lodge: concessionaire facility with amenities; includes food, water.

Cedar Pass Lodge is the only concessionaire operated facility in the park. Food, bathrooms, and water are available.

Cliff Shelf Trailhead

Short, accessible hike near Ben Reifel Visitor Center.

Cliff Shelf Nature Trail is one of several short, accessible hikes near the Ben Reifel Visitor Center of Badlands National Park.

Conata Basin Overlook

Park overlook with boardwalk, bench, wayside exhibit on climate change.

One of multiple overlooks throughout the park that provides accessible experiences and interpretive exhibits. This overlook has a boardwalk with a bench, and a wayside exhibit discussing climate change and how it affects the landscape.

Conata Picnic Area

Picnic area along scenic loop road for park visitors.

One of several picnic areas available for use in the park along the scenic loop road.

Deer Haven Trailhead

Badlands National Park allows off-trail hiking. Visit Deer Haven.

Badlands National Park has an Open Hike Policy, meaning that you are allowed to hike off-trail. As a visitor to the Badlands, you are free to explore social trails like Deer Haven, the Sage Creek Wilderness Area, or any other part of the park you can visit safely. Deer Haven is either a short round-trip (6 mile) hike or a more extensive 23 mile loop. The trail is not marked, so navigation will rely on map/compass or GPS routing.

Door Trailhead

Popular trail with views of badlands, accessible, walking time.

One of the park's most popular trails providing an accessible view of badlands buttes and formations.

Erosion Markers

Opportunity to observe erosion's impact on geologic survey markers.

This is slightly off the road but provides an opportunity to see how erosion has affected old geologic survey markers.

Fossil Exhibit Trailhead

Park trail showcases fossils, provides accessible enjoyment.

Fossil Exhibit Trail is one of several features in the park that provide accessible enjoyment of the park's resources.

Hay Butte Overlook

Overlook shows Badlands formations and grassy ecosystems, walking time available.

This overlook provides the opportunity to see Badlands formations and the grassy ecosystems that cling to them.

Homestead Overlook

Scenic viewpoints, homesteading history exhibits.

This overlooks provides a combination of scenic viewpoints and exhibits discussing the homesteading history of the area.

Interior Entrance Station

Entrance to Badlands National Park.

One of three entrances for Badlands National Park.

Medicine Root Trailhead

Castle Trail on Medicine Root loop. Upper Brule Formation. Oligocene Epoch.

On the Castle Trail portion of the Medicine Root loop, the trail is almost entirely within the upper part of the Brule Formation (Poleslide Member; Oligocene Epoch, 32.0-30.0 million years ago).

Norbeck Pass

Norbeck Pass significant transition upper lower prairie environments.

Norbeck Pass is a geologically and ecologically significant transition between upper and lower prairie environments.

Northeast Entrance Station

Entrance to Badlands National Park.

One of three entrances for Badlands National Park.

Notch Ladder

Notch Trail features memorable ladder.

A memorable ladder along Notch Trail.

Notch Trailhead

Popular trail with badlands buttes, views, and wooden ladder.

This is the park's most popular trail. It features badlands buttes, views, and a wooden ladder!

Palmer Creek

Access Palmer Creek district after contacting park staff.

Palmer Creek is one of two districts in the South Unit of the park. Contact park staff prior to attempting access.

Panorama Point Overlook

Panoramic view of Badlands, similar to Big Foot Pass area.

Panorama Point offers a wide view of the Badlands landscape, downward towards the White River Valley. The view is similar to what is seen in the Big Foot Pass area.

Pinnacles Entrance Station

Entrance station to national park.

One of three entrance stations to Badlands National Park.

Pinnacles Overlook

Popular overlook with unique geology, great sunset views.

One of the most popular overlooks in the park, it provides an opportunity to see unparalleled views of the park's unique geology and dramatic sunsets.

Prairie Wind Overlook

Scenic overlook with prairie landscape.

This overlook provides an opportunity to experience the vast prairie landscape.

Quinn Road Prairie Dog Town

Prairie dog town in Badlands National Park, Quinn Road.

Quinn Road prairie dog town is one of several prairie dog towns in Badlands National Park.

Red Shirt Table Overlook

Red Shirt Table overlook: significant geologic feature in South Unit.

Red Shirt Table overlook is one of several significant geologic and scenic features in the South Unit of the park.

Roberts Prairie Dog Town

Large prairie dog town accessible via main road.

One of the largest prairie dog towns in the park, accessible via a main road.

Saddle Pass Trailhead

Short hike near Badlands Visitor Center.

Saddle Pass is one of several short accessible hikes near by the Ben Reifel Visitor Center of Badlands National Park.

Sage Creek Basin Overlook

Expansive view of mixed-grass prairie; overlook in sage creek.

This overlook provides an expansive view of the mixed-grass prairie environment and the sage creek wilderness area.

Sage Creek Wilderness

Primitive campground, no trails, plan ahead for wilderness trip.

The wilderness area has a primitive campground and no official trails. Any trip to the area needs to be planned ahead of time.

Sheep Mountain Table Overlook

Sheep Mountain Table overlooks Badlands Park; inaccessible in winter.

Sheep Mountain Table is one of the overlooks of Badlands National Park. It provides views of the park's South Unit and the Black Hills. The road to the overlook is not maintained in the winter, and beyond the overlook the road deteriorates and requires high clearance/4WD vehicles.

Stronghold Table

Stronghold Table in South Unit park, one of five large tables.

Stronghold Table is one of five large tables located in the South Unit of the park.

The Pig Dig

Pig Dig site yields significant fossil finds.

The Pig Dig is a site of a recent paleontological survey that yielded many significant fossil finds, including: Archaeotherium, Subhyracodon, Mesohippus, Leptomeryx.

The Saber Site

Rare nimravid skull found at Saber Site by child.

The Saber Site is the location of a significant find: a rare nimravid skull, and it was found by a 7-year-old child.

Toadstool Rock

Visible example of unique erosion in Badlands National Park.

Toadstool Rock is one of the more visible examples of Badlands unique erosion processes.

Wayside: Alligator

Stop on Fossil Exhibit Trail in Badlands National Park. Replica bronze alligator fossil showcases how alligators adapted to climate change.

This is a stop along the Fossil Exhibit Trail of Badlands National Park. This exhibit features a replica bronze alligator fossil and information about how alligators moved to survive a changing climate.

Wayside: Ammonite

Stop at Fossil Exhibit Trail, see replica Ammonite fossil.

This is a stop along the Fossil Exhibit Trail of Badlands National Park. This exhibit features a replica bronze Ammonite fossil and information about how Ammonites died in response to a changing climate.

Wayside: Dog

Stop at Fossil Exhibit Trail, Badlands NP. Replica dog fossil.

This is a stop along the Fossil Exhibit Trail of Badlands National Park. This exhibit features a replica bronze Dog fossil and information about how dogs evolved to survive a changing climate.

Wayside: Horse

Fossil exhibit along trail, replica Mesohippus fossil and climate evolution.

This is a stop along the Fossil Exhibit Trail of Badlands National Park. This exhibit features a replica bronze Mesohippus fossil and information about Mesohippus evolved to adapt to changing climates.

Wayside: Nimravid

Stop on Fossil Exhibit Trail, replica bronze nimravid fossil, informational.

This is a stop along the Fossil Exhibit Trail of Badlands National Park. This exhibit features a replica bronze nimravid fossil and information about how nimravid died in the face of a changing climate.

Wayside: Oreodont

Fossil exhibit on trail in Badlands National Park; bronze oreodont.

This is a stop along the Fossil Exhibit Trail of Badlands National Park. This exhibit features a replica bronze oreodont fossil and information about how the fossilization process occurs.

Wayside: Reading the Rocks

Stop on Fossil Exhibit Trail in Badlands National Park, annotated photo.

This is a stop along the Fossil Exhibit Trail of Badlands National Park. This exhibit features an annotated photograph of a badlands landscape with several layered elaborated on.

Wayside: Titanothere

Fossil Exhibit Trail stop, replica fossil, Titanotheres, climate change.

This is a stop along the Fossil Exhibit Trail of Badlands National Park. This exhibit features a replica bronze Titanothere fossil and information about how Titanotheres died in response to a changing climate.