National Park · South Dakota
Badlands National Park
Eroded spires & mixed-grass prairie
StateSouth Dakota
Best seasonSpring & fall
Don’t missSunset over the Badlands Loop
TerrainEroded spires & prairie
The Badlands are a maze of striped buttes and pinnacles rising out of South Dakota’s prairie, full of bison, bighorn, and fossils. Spring and fall are mild; summers are hot and stormy.
What to see
- Badlands Loop Road overlooks
- Notch Trail
- Door & Window trails
- Roberts Prairie Dog Town
- Fossil Exhibit Trail
Check the park’s official site for current entrance fees, timed-entry or permits, road and seasonal closures before you go.