What to Know before Visiting The Badlands

Beings the Badlands is in my home state, I love to frequent there at least 1-2 times a year. It is absolutely beautiful, and it never gets boring! The kids absolutely love it and it makes for a quick weekend trip!

There are some things you might want to know before taking the trip, however!

Where is the Badlands?

Badlands National Park is in the Southwest corner of South Dakota. It’s conveniently located right off I-90, the major highway that slices east to west straight through the state.

You can get there by flying into Rapid City and driving an hour east. Here is a map on where to fly in from. Graphic obtained from the Rapid City Airport Website.

What’s the cost to get into the Badlands?

As of March 2024, the entrance fees are as follows:

Private Vehicle: $30 – Valid for 7 days
Motorcycle: $25 – Valid for 7 days
Individual (hike, bicycle, etc…): $15 per person 16 and older – Valid for 7 days
Badlands National Park Annual Pass: $55

America the Beautiful Annual Pass: Or, for $80, you can get an America the Beautiful Annual Pass and have access to all of the nation’s National Parks, National Wildlife Refuges, National Forests, and National Grasslands for one year (or for a lifetime if you’re over 62)!

Free Days: For the budget-conscious (who also aren’t afraid of crowds), the National Parks always offer free admission a few days a year. Here’s a link to check out the dates for 2025

The Best Time To Visit The Badlands

Spring is a good time to go if you don’t mind it being a little chilly and you want to avoid the summer crowds and heat. The grasses tend to be a vivid green and everything is just starting to rejuvenate for the year.

My favorite time to visit, however is the Summer. Note, however, Summer in the badlands tends to be VERY hot.

With summer, however, be prepared to share the park with crowds and plenty of motorcycles!

Fall is probably the best to visit for weather reasons. It also tends to have more golden hues!

Believe it or not, I have also visited in the winter! Winters are brutal in SD so if the roads are impassible the park does shut down, but we visited in March and it was a site to see with the snowcaps!

What is the best time of day to visit the Badlands?

Sunrise and Sunset are the two most beautiful, and weather efficient times to visit the park! A lot of the animals are most active during those times too!

Door Trail, Big Badlands Overlook, and Pinnacles Overlook are the best places to enjoy sunrise.

Conata Basin Overlook and Hay Butte Overlook are arguably the best places to enjoy sunset!

The following map can be downloaded and obtained from the NPS Website.

Camping in the Badlands

Camping is an option in The Badlands. There are two places to camp, but you can also camp in the back country.

Cedar Pass Campground, next to the Ben Reifel Visitor Center, offers 96 reservable campsites with 4 group sites available. Fees vary depending on your vehicle and how you will be camping. It is recommended that you visit the Cedar Pass Lodge website to make reservations or check availability. There are no campfires allowed in this campground.
Sage Creek Campground is a free, first-come-first-serve campground located off of a dirt road in a more remote section of the park. There are 22 campsites, and no RVs or trailers are allowed. Campfires are not permitted.
Backcountry Camping is also a great way to explore the park. Badlands National Park is an open hike park, which means that you can hike and camp nearly anywhere inside the park as long as you follow backcountry camping rules.

Hiking

Notch Trail: A moderate 1.5-mile round trip that offers ladder access to a notch in the Badlands Wall, providing a stunning view of the White River Valley. Be prepared for a steep, log ladder climb and some exposed cliffs.
Castle Trail: The longest trail in the park stretching 10 miles round trip. This trail takes you through some of the most vast and beautiful parts of the badlands formations, making it perfect for photography enthusiasts.
Window Trail: An easy 0.25-mile boardwalk trail that offers an up-close view of the Badlands Wall. This short trail leads to a natural window in the Badlands Wall with a view of an intricately eroded canyon.
Door Trail: A 0.75-mile trail that begins on a boardwalk but gives hikers the option to drop into the rugged terrain of the Badlands. The trail provides an exceptional perspective of the surreal, moon-like landscape.
Saddle Pass Trail: A strenuous 0.7-mile trail that climbs up the Badlands Wall offering breathtaking views of the White River Valley. Recommended for experienced hikers only due to its steep and slippery trail.