Where do I start the Badlands loop?

Badlands Loop Road (Highway 240), accessed from Interstate 90, is a two-lane, paved surface that takes you through the North Unit of the park. Sage Creek Rim Road (Highway 590) is a gravel road that takes you along the north rim of the Badlands Wilderness Area.



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Is Badlands National Park free? Badlands National Park isn't free. Like all national parks in America you will need to pay an entrance fee of $30.00 for each private vehicle, which will allow you to enter and exit for seven days from the date of purchase.

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Badlands Loop Road (SD 240) is a spectacular way to see the North Unit of Badlands National Park. This two-lane paved road is appropriate for all motor vehicles but does include several steep passes and sections with reduced speed limits. Drive carefully, as wildlife is common along the Loop Road.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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