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

Start to Finish: Park rangers suggest spending two full days to truly experience the park, but you can certainly visit in less time. If you have one full day to spend, plan on being at the park for both sunrise and sunset - the light cast over the Badlands is incredible.



People Also Ask

It's relatively easy to explore the highlights of the North Unit of Badlands National Park in a day or less. (Most visitors spend an average of 3-5 hr.) A few miles south of the park's northeast entrance, the closest entrance to I-90, is the park headquarters.

MORE DETAILS

Badlands National Park is a relatively small park and it is super easy to visit. One road, Badlands Loop Road (Highway 240), cuts through the heart of the park. This road is 30 miles long and it takes about an hour to drive the length of it, without stops.

MORE DETAILS

You can drive the whole park in 1 day and see all the overlooks but if you want to go on some hikes or on a float trip you will need an extra day. Good luck fitting it all in and have a great trip. Helpful? We did Custer, Crazy Horse, Custer State Park, the Needles, the Badlands, and Rapid City, and Mt.

MORE DETAILS

Is It Worth It? Yes, it is worth it to stop at Wall Drug. It is very likely going to seem like just a “tourist trap” to many, but it does have a very important function…a last chance for food, restrooms, and drinks for at least an hour and maybe even more if you are heading East.

MORE DETAILS

Covering all 3 is a very full day, but it can be done with an early start. If I ran short on time, I'd eliminate Wall Drug. The Badlands will take an hour drive time from Rapid, and then allot around 4 hours to adequately see the park. Allot about an hour and a half back to Rushmore.

MORE DETAILS

Things to Keep in Mind You must camp a half mile away from any roads or trails and stay out of sight of the trails & roads. Badlands is only an hour from Wind Cave National Park, Mount Rushmore, and Black Hills National Forest. So plan a trip to this corner of South Dakota and see them all!

MORE DETAILS

Badlands National Park charges an entrance fee. You may purchase a 7-day pass valid at only Badlands National Park by selecting from the choices (Private Vehicle, Motorcycle, or Individual).

MORE DETAILS

Where to Begin. The closest major airport to Badlands National Park is in Rapid City, South Dakota. From there, visitors can drive for about an hour to the North Unit of the park. The Ben Reifel Visitor Center on the east side of the park is the main spot for information in the North Unit.

MORE DETAILS

While you cannot sleep in your car on the side of the road or in parking lots within Badlands National Park, you can sleep in your car at designated campgrounds. Two campgrounds within the park, Cedar Pass Campground and Sage Creek Campground, allow car camping.

MORE DETAILS

The Ben Reifel Visitor Center is open from 7am-7pm in the summer, from 8am-5pm in the fall and spring, and from 8am-4pm in the winter.

MORE DETAILS