Layered badlands formations behind fields of green grass under cloudy and billowing clouds.
Summer storms are frequently violent and unpredictable. NPS Photo

Badlands National Park

National Park · South Dakota · National Park Service

The rugged beauty of the Badlands draws visitors from around the world. These striking geologic deposits contain one of the world’s richest fossil beds. Ancient horses and rhinos once roamed here. The park’s 244,000 acres protect an expanse of mixed-grass prairie where bison, bighorn sheep, prairie dogs, and black-footed ferrets live today.

Plan your visit

Trails & hiking

Biking · Hiking · Horseback Riding

Camping

Camping · Backcountry Camping

Site types & reservations: see the official site.

Know before you go

Phone
6054335361
Official site
www.nps.gov
Managed by
National Park Service

Getting there

Directions on Google Maps →

Things to do

Highlights: Archeology · Arts · Colonization and Settlement · Farming and Agriculture · Military · Indigenous and Native Warrior · Monuments and Memorials · Native American Heritage · Transportation · Tragic Events · Massacres · Wars and Conflicts · Indian and Frontier Wars · Westward Expansion · Homesteading · Ancient Seas · Animals · Birds · Bison · Cats (wild) · Horses (wild) · Tortoises and Turtles · Climate Change · Fire · Fossils and Paleontology · Geology · Grasslands · Prairies · Night Sky · Astronomy · Rock Landscapes and Features · Scenic Views · Trails · Unique Species · Endangered · Wilderness

Activities & features: Auto and ATV · Scenic Driving · Astronomy · Car or Front Country Camping · Horse Camping (see also Horse/Stock Use) · Compass and GPS · Food · Horse Trekking · Horse Camping (see also camping) · Junior Ranger Program · Wildlife Watching · Birdwatching · Park Film · Shopping · Bookstore and Park Store · Gift Shop and Souvenirs

Photos

  • The yellow mounds are peaking out of the formations in this photo.
    NPS Photo
  • Badlands formations are very rugged and often have sharp peaks.
    NPS Photo
  • Jagged badlands buttes extended in horizon amid yellow flowers under a blue sky.
    NPS Photo
  • road leading between snow covered badlands formations
    NPS Photo/Brad Barker

Nearby parks

Parks of South Dakota

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65 parks mapped in South Dakota

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Guides for the trip

All guides →

Sources: National Park Service, Google Places · updated 2026-08-12