The Badlands sneak up on you. You drive across the South Dakota prairie thinking it is all flat grassland, and then the earth drops away into a maze of striped spires, canyons, and crumbling buttes that glow pink and gold at sunset. Will and I came here to film and ended up captivated by how strange and beautiful this place is, and by how much wildlife roams its grasslands.
It is also a refreshingly easy park to enjoy. Most of the highlights are right off one scenic road, the hikes are short, and you can see a lot in a day. Here is my honest, ranked list of the best things to do in Badlands National Park.
For the full trip plan, including lodging and maps, see our complete Badlands National Park guide.
Top Things to Do at a Glance
| Activity | Type | Distance or Time | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Badlands Loop Road | Scenic drive | 2 to 3 hours | Easy |
| Notch Trail | Hike | 1.5 mi round trip | Moderate |
| Door Trail | Hike | 0.75 mi round trip | Easy |
| Castle Trail | Hike | Up to 10 mi round trip | Moderate |
| Sage Creek Rim Road | Wildlife drive | 2 to 3 hours | Easy (gravel) |
| Stargazing | Evening | 1 to 2 hours | Easy |
1. Drive the Badlands Loop Road
This is the backbone of any Badlands visit and my top recommendation. The paved Badlands Loop Road runs more than 25 miles along the rim of the Badlands Wall, with a string of overlooks that each frame a different slice of the formations. You could spend a whole day just working through the pullouts.
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- Logistics: Easily driven in 2 to 3 hours with stops, more if you hike. Start at either the Pinnacles or Northeast entrance.
- Best time of day: Sunrise and sunset turn the rock layers to fire, so bookend your day on this road.
2. Hike the Notch Trail
The Notch Trail is the most adventurous of the short hikes and my favorite. It winds through a canyon, climbs a wooden log ladder up a steep slope, then follows a ledge to a notch with a sweeping view over the White River Valley. The ladder makes it a memorable little thrill.
- Distance and difficulty: About 1.5 miles round trip, moderate, with the log-ladder climb and some drop-offs. Not ideal for anyone uneasy with heights.
- Trailhead: The Door and Window parking area off the Loop Road.
- Note: Skip it when wet, since the trail and ladder get slick and dangerous.
3. Walk the Door Trail
The Door Trail leads through a natural break in the Badlands Wall, the door, and out onto a boardwalk where you can wander into the eroded formations. Beyond the boardwalk, numbered posts let you explore farther into a moonscape of cracked clay and spires.
- Distance and difficulty: About 0.75 mile round trip, easy on the boardwalk, then rougher if you go past it.
4. Explore the Window Trail
Right next to the Door Trail, the Window Trail is a short boardwalk to a natural window in the rock that frames an eroded canyon. It is quick and accessible, which makes it a great first stop to grasp how the Wall is breaking down.
- Distance and difficulty: About 0.25 mile round trip, easy and accessible.
5. Drive the Sage Creek Rim Road for Wildlife
The gravel Sage Creek Rim Road heads west into the park’s wild grasslands and is the best place to see big wildlife. Bison herds, pronghorn, and bighorn sheep all roam here, set against rolling prairie and distant buttes. It feels far more remote than the busy Loop Road.
- Access: Gravel road, usually fine for most cars when dry but slick and impassable when wet. Check conditions after rain.
- Safety: Bison are wild and fast. Stay in or near your car when they are close and never approach them.
6. Visit Roberts Prairie Dog Town
Along the Sage Creek Rim Road, Roberts Prairie Dog Town is a sprawling colony of black-tailed prairie dogs that chirp and pop up from their burrows as you approach. It is one of the easiest and most entertaining wildlife stops in the park, and a favorite with kids.
- Etiquette: Watch from a distance and never feed them. They are wild animals and feeding harms them.
7. Hike the Castle Trail
For a longer hike, the Castle Trail is the park’s longest at about 10 miles round trip, running between the Door and Window area and the Fossil Exhibit Trail. It crosses open prairie at the base of the formations, and you can hike just a portion for a taste without committing to the whole thing.
- Distance and difficulty: Up to 10 miles round trip, mostly flat but exposed with no shade or water. Moderate by length. Go early and carry plenty of water.
8. Walk the Fossil Exhibit Trail
The Badlands hold one of the world’s richest fossil beds, and this short, fully accessible boardwalk loop has displays of the ancient creatures that once lived here, from early horses to fearsome predators. It is a great, low-effort way to understand the deep history under your feet.
- Distance and difficulty: About 0.25 mile loop, easy and accessible.
9. Stargaze Under Dark Skies
With little light pollution for miles, the Badlands offer outstanding night skies, and the park runs popular night sky programs in summer at the Cedar Pass area. Watching the Milky Way rise over the jagged spires is one of the most memorable things you can do here.
- Best time: A moonless night in summer, when ranger astronomy programs typically run. Bring a red flashlight to protect your night vision.
10. Catch Sunrise at the Big Badlands Overlook
Near the Northeast Entrance, the Big Badlands Overlook is the classic first view of the park and a prime sunrise spot. As the sun comes up, the formations light up in bands of red, orange, and tan. It is an easy pullout that delivers a huge payoff.
11. Stop at Pinnacles Overlook
At the west end of the Loop Road, Pinnacles Overlook offers one of the broadest views in the park, looking out over a sea of spires. It is a favorite sunset spot and a good place to spot bighorn sheep on the rocks below.
12. Try Off-Trail Exploring
One of the unusual things about the Badlands is its open hiking policy. There are no wilderness restrictions on where you can walk, so you are free to scramble up washes and ridgelines and find your own quiet corner. Just bring navigation, water, and good judgment, since the terrain is loose and disorienting.
13. Start at the Ben Reifel Visitor Center
The main visitor center at Cedar Pass is worth a stop for its fossil lab, exhibits, and ranger advice on trails, weather, and wildlife. In summer you can often watch paleontologists at work preparing fossils found in the park.
14. Look for Bighorn Sheep
Bighorn sheep were reintroduced to the Badlands and now navigate the steep formations with ease. Scan the rocks near Pinnacles Overlook and along the Loop Road, especially in the early morning. Seeing a ram poised on a knife-edge ridge is a real treat.
15. Hike the Saddle Pass Trail
Short but steep, the Saddle Pass Trail climbs straight up the Badlands Wall and connects to the Castle and Medicine Root trails on top. It is a quick way to get above the formations and link into a longer loop if you want one.
- Distance and difficulty: About 0.25 mile each way but steep and slippery, moderate to strenuous. Avoid when wet.
16. Walk the Medicine Root Loop
For a prairie hike with formation views, the Medicine Root Loop links with the Castle Trail across the grasslands on top of the Wall. In summer you may find wildflowers, and the open feel is a nice contrast to the canyon trails below.
- Distance and difficulty: About 4 miles for the loop with the Castle Trail, moderate. Exposed, so bring water and sun protection.
17. See the Yellow Mounds
Along the Loop Road, the Yellow Mounds area is a stretch of soft yellow and red hills, an ancient fossil soil that adds a completely different palette to the gray and tan formations. It is a quick photo stop that surprises a lot of first-time visitors.
18. Camp in the Park
Spending a night here is the best way to catch sunrise, sunset, and the stars. Cedar Pass Campground has more amenities near the visitor center, while the free, first-come Sage Creek Campground sits out on the prairie where bison sometimes wander through camp. Both put you in the park after the day-trippers leave.
19. Add the Minuteman Missile Site
Right off Interstate 90 near the park’s northeast entrance, Minuteman Missile National Historic Site preserves a Cold War launch facility and missile silo. It is a sobering, stark contrast to the natural Badlands and an easy add-on. Tours of the launch control facility are limited, so reserve ahead.
20. Stop at Wall Drug
Just outside the park in the town of Wall, the sprawling Wall Drug is a classic roadside Americana stop, famous for its free ice water, cheap coffee, and a maze of shops and oddities. It is touristy and proud of it, and after a dusty day in the park it is a fun place to grab a bite.
Planning Your Visit to Badlands National Park
Getting There
The park is in western South Dakota, about an hour east of Rapid City off Interstate 90. The Northeast Entrance near Wall and the Pinnacles Entrance bookend the Loop Road. It pairs easily with the Black Hills, Mount Rushmore, and Wind Cave for a regional trip.
Fees
The private vehicle entrance fee is $30 and is good for seven days. The park is cashless, so bring a card or buy a pass online ahead of time. Even driving straight through on the Loop Road requires a valid pass.
Best Time to Visit
Late spring and early fall bring the most comfortable weather. Summer is hot, with afternoon thunderstorms that can turn gravel roads to slick clay, and the formations can be brutally exposed at midday. Winter is cold and quiet but starkly beautiful when snow dusts the spires.
How Many Days Do You Need?
One full day covers the Loop Road, the short trails, and a wildlife drive. With an overnight you can add sunrise, sunset, and stargazing, which is when the park is at its best.
For lodging, maps, and a full itinerary, see our complete Badlands National Park guide.
What to Bring to Badlands
Gear we recommend for Badlands. Affiliate links support our work at no cost to you.
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More Than Just Parks Film Watch our 8K film of Badlands We spent weeks in Badlands, one of our favorite public lands destinations, capturing it the way it deserves. Take a few minutes and see it for yourself.
