242,756 acres
Park Size
1,006,809
Annual Visitors
7 mi
Trail Miles
120
Campsites
About Badlands National Park
Badlands National Park protects 244,000 acres of sharply eroded buttes and pinnacles, along with the largest undisturbed mixed grass prairie in the country. The layered rock formations contain one of the world's richest fossil beds, preserving ancient horses, rhinos, and saber-toothed cats. Today, the park is home to bison, bighorn sheep, and the endangered black-footed ferret. The Lakota people named this land 'mako sica' - literally 'bad lands.'
Park Highlights
- Pinnacles Overlook
- Window Trail
- Door Trail
- Notch Trail
- Yellow Mounds Overlook
- Big Badlands Overlook
Activities
Wildlife
Visitor Information
$30
Entrance Fee
Spring, Fall
Best Seasons
Visitor Tips
- Summer temperatures can exceed 100F
- Watch for rattlesnakes on trails
- Sunrise and sunset are spectacular
- Combine with nearby Mount Rushmore