Hiking Badlands National Park

ByTiffany M.

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Things to Do in Badlands National Park

Badlands National Park is made up of 2 separate units: North and South. Each of these units have their own visitor center. There is a $30 entrance fee per normal sized passenger vehicle that is good for 7 days upon purchase. There is an abundance of activities that you can do in this National Park like camping, hiking, driving scenic loops, visiting a fossil preparation center, and more. Plan on at least one day to see most of the park.

Looking out into Badlands National Park from the top of Saddle Pass Trail. There are several hills made of rock in the distance in the middle of grass fields.
(View from top of Saddle Pass Trail in Badlands National Park)

It can get busy and very hot in the summer; I suggest visiting this park in the spring to avoid the crowds. Plan on spending at least one full day to see the main sights of the park. Pets are allowed in the campgrounds, picnic areas, parking lots and can be taken for walks on roads in this National Park. Remember that pets are NOT allowed on trails, backcountry, or wilderness areas. If you are looking for a pet-friendly park, check out the guide for Custer State Park.

Large bison walking parallel to the photographer but looking towards camera. Bison is in a grassy field and the sky is blue.
(First Bison Spotted!)

Badlands South Unit

The South Unit of Badlands National Park is a decent distance away from the North Unit. There is a scenic drive that you can take to admire the sights in this part of the park. The roads are rough, and some will require 4-wheel drive.

South Unit Visitor Center

White River Visitor Center is the visitor center in the south unit where you can get your National Park passport stamped and look at educational displays about the Lakota tribes in the area. The visitor center is located on the Pine Ridge Reservation.

Camping and Hiking in Badlands South Unit

There is no campground or official hiking trails in the south unit. The biggest attraction in the South Unit is Sheep Mountain Table, but without a proper vehicle, you will have to hike up to it in order to admire the view. You can bring your pet to explore the Sheep Mountain Table. Backcountry camping is allowed.

If camping is not for you, don’t worry! There are several hotels available- just pick the area, amenities, and price range after you click the link below.

Booking.com

Badlands North Unit

The North Unit is by far the more popular unit of Badlands National Park. There are two scenic drives, two campgrounds, and numerous hikes. If you have children, the park has numerous programs to make the trip more fun and educational. There are also different Ranger Programs available if you are interested in learning more about a certain topic. You can find more information about these programs online or at the Ben Reifiel Visitor Center.

2 pronghorn standing partway downhill on a rocky wall in the Black Hills on Notch trail.
(Pronghorn)

North Unit Visitor Center

Ben Reifel Visitor Center is where you will want to start your visit to the Badlands. There is a film available along with several displays that talk about the park, wildlife, and fossils that have been found in the area. You can get your National Park Passport stamped in the gift shop. The Fossil Preparation Lab is also located in this building. If you are interested in fossilized bones and wood, take a look at our guide for Black Hills South Dakota Attractions to discover a few other places you might like to visit.

Camping in Badlands National Park North Unit

Sage Creek Campground is free and is first come first serve. It is a primitive campground which means no running water but they do have pit toilets. Bison are common in the area and they frequently walk through the campground and can be seen using the camp posts to scratch on. If you want to camp here, I would suggest arriving by noon at the latest to claim your spot if there is one available.

Women crouched down wearing brown pants and a black jacket with white sleeves. She is putting the final touches on a small grey and blue tent at a campsite in Sage Creek Campground. Closer to the photographer are bison hoofprints.
(Note those hoof prints by our tent!)
A bison close behind one of the campsites at Sage Creek Campground. There are green rolling hills in the background.
(Bison in our campground!)

Cedar Pass Campground and Lodge has campsites and cabins available for reservation. Prices vary depending on the type of lodging and amount of people. A typical tent campsite for 2 people would cost $28.

Backcountry camping is allowed.

Scenic Drives in Badlands NP North Unit

The Badlands Loop road and Sage Creek Rim road are two scenic drives in the North Unit that provide great opportunities to admire the park and see wildlife. Make sure to utilize the pull offs to safely admire the views. Remember to drive slowly through the parks and keep a close eye out for wildlife!

View of the Black Hills from the Scenic Drive in Badlands National Park. The hills have lines/rings of color in brown, red, and white hues.
(One of the views from an overlook on the Scenic Drive)

Hiking Badlands National Park North Unit

There are numerous hiking opportunities in Badlands National Park both on and off trail. The two official trails I would recommend are the Notch Trail and Saddle Pass Trail.  If you want to hike off trails, I encourage you to explore the area around Sage Creek. Most of these hikes are just a short drive from the visitor center. It can get very hot in the summer so make sure you bring plenty of water, even on the shorter hikes.

A valley in between two rows of the rock formations in the Black Hills. They valley has grass and a few trees spread throughout.
(View from the top of Notch Trail)

The closest parking lot to the visitor center provides access to four different trails: Notch, Window, Door, and Castle Trail.

Notch Trail is 1.5 miles and provides a fantastic introduction to the different scenery in the park.

A wall of rock at the start of the Notch trail in Badlands National Park. There is a small patch of grass on a ledge several feet off of the ground.
(Starting the Hike on the Notch Trail)
The ladder on the Notch Trail in Badlands National Park. There are two people almost to the top and a woman with pink pants coming down the ladder about halfway. There is also a man in a green jacket and shorts on the ground looking back at the ladder.
(Waiting our turn to go up the “Ladder” on the Notch Trail)
View from the top of Notch trail. There are trees, patches of grass and the Black Hills as far as the eye can see.
(View from the top of Notch Trail)

Window Trail is only .25 miles and offers a nice view just a few steps away from the parking lot.

Looking off into the distance from Window trail in the Badlands National Park. The famous rock structures found in the Black Hills are as far as they eye can see.
(Beautiful Scenery on the Window Trail)
An up close frame of the top of one of the rock structures in the Black Hills.
(Window Trail)

Door Trail is .75 miles longer and leads you to “doorway” into the Badlands with more beautiful scenery.

View from the Door Trail in the Badlands National Park. There are reddish color rock structures as stretched out for miles.
(Door Trail Hike)
Looking off into the distance from Door trail in the Badlands National Park. The famous rock structures found in the Black Hills are as far as they eye can see.
(Love the Beauty of the Badlands- Door Trail)

Castle Trail is 10 miles in total (out and back) and leads to the Fossil Exhibit trail.

Saddle Pass Trail is .25 miles but provides quite the workout because of the steep inclines but it is worth the view from the top.

Woman wearing a black t-shirt and khaki shorts with a blue back is smiling at camera and point to peak behind her. It is the top of Saddle Pass trail in the Badlands National Park.
(We climbed all the way up there- Whew!!)
View from the top of Saddle Pass trail. There is a road diagonal through the frame. The right of it is mostly green grass. To the left of the road is primarily the black hills with their lines of color.
(View from the TOP- we made it!)
A woman wearing a green t-shirt and grey shorts is bent down and smiling through a passage way between a boulder and another large rock.
(On our way up the Saddlepass Trail)

Fossil Exhibit trail is .25 miles and has signs about the types of fossils that can be found in the area.

One of the informational signs at the Fossil Exhibit trail at Badlands National Park. The left side of the sign shows dog skeleton. The right side of the sign gives information about the history of dogs. It has a drawing of the many species of dogs and how they descended from their ancestors.
(One of the signs at Fossil Exhibit)

Cliff Shelf is .5 miles that leads through a juniper forest and involves stairs.

Medicine Root Loop is 4 miles and leads you through prairie.

Why You Should Visit:

Badlands National Park is one of my favorite National Parks. It provides a fantastic opportunity to see wildlife such as bison, big horned sheep, pronghorn and more. Despite the name, Badlands is filled with gorgeous awe-inspiring landscapes. This national park is also close to numerous other South Dakota national parks and other fun vacation spots. A trip to this area will be unforgettable and many of these trails are easily accessible for everyone. The scenic byways are a great way to see the park but make sure to do some of the hikes too! Notch Trail and Saddle Pass Trail were my personal favorites.

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Tiffany M. Smith is a retired zookeeper, passionate pet owner, and obsessive traveler who loves to show pet owners how to have happy, healthy pets and amazing adventures!

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