Badlands National Park
Badlands National Park
Welcome to Badlands National Park, where the ancient Spirits of the land can still be heard. Since time immemorial, the area that now encompasses Badlands National Park was home to the indigenous residents, the great Sioux Nation. The park contains the world's richest Oligocene epoch fossil beds, dating 37-28 million years old. The evolutionary stories of mammals such as the horse and rhinoceros arise from the 244,000 acres of magnificent buttes, pinnacles, and spires. One of the largest, protected mixed-grass prairies in the U.S., the park is home to bison, bighorn sheep, endangered black-footed ferrets, and swift foxes.
At A Glance
In The Park
Superintendent: Dr. Paige BakerPhone Number: 605-433-5361
Entrance Fees: Vehicle Pass (valid for 7 days): $10; Individual Pass (valid for 7 days): $7; Motorcycle Pass (valid for 7 days): $10; Badlands National Park Annual Pass (valid for one year after date of purchase): $30
Sights: Badlands Loop Road; Sage Creek Basin; Roberts Prairie Dog Town
Endangered Species: Black-footed Ferret
Important Dates
Established as Park: November 10, 1978By The Numbers
Acres: 242,756.00Highest Point: Red Shirt Table (3345 feet)
Annual Visitation: 840,118 (2006)
Location
Latitude / Longitude :43.710880 / -102.477030 (map it)
State: SD
Nearby Big City: Interior, SD
Gateway Communities: Interior, SD; Kadoka, SD; Wall, SD; Scenic, SD; Quinn, SD
Nearby Airports: Rapid City, SC (RAP)
Green Features
Has Recycling? : YesHas Shuttle System? : No
Has Volunteer Program? : Yes
Park Photos
Colored Hills
Jonathan Larsen
Landscape Sunset
Jonathan Larsen
Rock Erosion
Christina Tisi-Kramer
View More Badlands Photos
In Detail
Black Footed Ferret The black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) is considered to be the most endangered land mammal in North America. Thought to be extinct in the 1970s, a small colony of this small member of the weasel ... read more.
Did You Know : The Sioux The Sioux called this harsh terrain mako sica, literally "land bad." French-Canadian trappers, the first white men to see the area, labeled it les mauvaises terres à traverser, or "bad land to tra ... read more.
Frank Wright "Let sculptors come to the Badlands. Let painters come. But first of all the true architect should come. He who could interpret this vast gift of nature in terms of human habi- tation so that America ... read more.
In A Nutshell The stunning panorama of Badlands National Park rests just an hour east of Rapid City on I-90 (exits 110 or 131). This 244,000-acre landscape is both barren and beautiful. Wind and rain erosion have ... read more.
Oh, Ranger! Growing up I spent a considerable amount of time outdoors and it was this experience that gave me a strong appreciation of the natural world. My father and uncle were national park rangers and I had ... read more.
Park Regulations & Safety Permits Badlands National Park's rugged beauty and spectacular scenery lead many to consider its use as a backdrop for filming, organized activities, or wedding ceremonies. A special park use is a s ... read more.
Planning Your Visit PLAN YOUR VISIT The park's main visitor center, the Ben Reifel Visitor Center, is open daily all year, except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. During the summer months, ranger-led program ... read more.
Recent News
- Badlands National Park Teems with Nice Surprises September 22, 2008, 12:11 pm
- More than Rushmore: Take a South Dakota trip August 7, 2008, 11:47 am
- Oglala Sioux could regain Badlands national parkland June 10, 2008, 6:33 pm
- Why national parks, coal-fired power plants may be neighbors April 23, 2008, 2:23 pm
Badlands In Depth
News from the Parks
Be Green and Stand Out this Halloween
October 3, 2008 - 8:43pm
It’s the time of year when ghouls, goblins, ghosts and good witches show up in public. And as people of all ages embrace their inner child and alter egos, it becomes increasingly difficult to stand out in the crowd. Instead of fighting the masses at your local costume store, save a little dough and create a custom costume that reuses fabrics and items from around your house. Our teammate Leyla inspired us with her homemade strawberry costume. Made from pillowcases, buttons and colored stockings, it’s a shining example of how to be unique and green—whether your kids are trick or treating or you’re heading to a Halloween ball. Take a closer look at Leyla’s technique, and get inspired to think outside of the storefront and see the costume potential all around you. Leyla’s costume consists of two, red heavyweight pillow shams that she folded—like the first step of a paper airplane nose—into tapered berry-like edges. She used safety pins to secure these edges (so you don’t have to be a wiz on the sewing machine for this). She secured the tops of the pillows together in the same way, leaving an opening in the middle for her head. For a final touch on the berry look, she sewed white seed beads to the cases. You can use green felt and pipe cleaners with a hot glue gun to make a strawberry leaf crown. Leyla suggests wearing a green beret as an alternative, if you can find one. With all of the main components in place, the wearer can use their judgment about green or red apparel and stockings. You can find other great costume ideas here: http://www.robinsfyi.com/holidays/halloween/costumes.htm. Learn how you can transform into a bunch of grapes using purple or green leotards and balloons; a bag of jellybeans costume using colored balloons and a clear garbage bag; and a bat costume using black umbrella and tights. Have a Green Halloween!
October 3, 2008 - 8:43pm
It’s the time of year when ghouls, goblins, ghosts and good witches show up in public. And as people of all ages embrace their inner child and alter egos, it becomes increasingly difficult to stand out in the crowd. Instead of fighting the masses at your local costume store, save a little dough and create a custom costume that reuses fabrics and items from around your house. Our teammate Leyla inspired us with her homemade strawberry costume. Made from pillowcases, buttons and colored stockings, it’s a shining example of how to be unique and green—whether your kids are trick or treating or you’re heading to a Halloween ball. Take a closer look at Leyla’s technique, and get inspired to think outside of the storefront and see the costume potential all around you. Leyla’s costume consists of two, red heavyweight pillow shams that she folded—like the first step of a paper airplane nose—into tapered berry-like edges. She used safety pins to secure these edges (so you don’t have to be a wiz on the sewing machine for this). She secured the tops of the pillows together in the same way, leaving an opening in the middle for her head. For a final touch on the berry look, she sewed white seed beads to the cases. You can use green felt and pipe cleaners with a hot glue gun to make a strawberry leaf crown. Leyla suggests wearing a green beret as an alternative, if you can find one. With all of the main components in place, the wearer can use their judgment about green or red apparel and stockings. You can find other great costume ideas here: http://www.robinsfyi.com/holidays/halloween/costumes.htm. Learn how you can transform into a bunch of grapes using purple or green leotards and balloons; a bag of jellybeans costume using colored balloons and a clear garbage bag; and a bat costume using black umbrella and tights. Have a Green Halloween!
Steve Fossett's Plane Found in Bear Country
October 3, 2008 - 3:57pm
Steve Fossett's plane and a tiny amount of human remains have been found in California near Yosemite National Park, officials confirmed today. The millionaire U.S. adventurer has been missing since early September 2007.
October 3, 2008 - 3:57pm
Steve Fossett's plane and a tiny amount of human remains have been found in California near Yosemite National Park, officials confirmed today. The millionaire U.S. adventurer has been missing since early September 2007.
Hear the Bugle Call
October 3, 2008 - 3:52pm
Hear the sound of the elk echoing through the Rockies. View the golden aspens glistening in the sunlight. Take a deep breath in of the cool mountain air and watch the majestic bull elk chase his harem through Rocky Mountain National Park. Elk Fest celebrates fall in the Rockies and all things Wapiti — the American elk that calls Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park “home.”
October 3, 2008 - 3:52pm
Hear the sound of the elk echoing through the Rockies. View the golden aspens glistening in the sunlight. Take a deep breath in of the cool mountain air and watch the majestic bull elk chase his harem through Rocky Mountain National Park. Elk Fest celebrates fall in the Rockies and all things Wapiti — the American elk that calls Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park “home.”
Victim ID'd in Skiing Death at Rocky Mountain National Park
October 3, 2008 - 3:51pm
The man who was killed this week trying to ski on Taylor Glacier in Rocky Mountain National Park was identified today as Matthew Chesaux of Boulder. Chesaux, 40, died of blunt force injuries, according to the Larimer County coroner. The death also was ruled an accident.
October 3, 2008 - 3:51pm
The man who was killed this week trying to ski on Taylor Glacier in Rocky Mountain National Park was identified today as Matthew Chesaux of Boulder. Chesaux, 40, died of blunt force injuries, according to the Larimer County coroner. The death also was ruled an accident.
Burns Planned for Zion National Park
October 3, 2008 - 3:37pm
A prescribed fire is planned in Zion National Park during the week of Oct. 6. The Three Finger Mesa prescribed fire is 2,100 acres, and the exact date of ignition will depend on weather conditions and the availability to firefighter resources.
October 3, 2008 - 3:37pm
A prescribed fire is planned in Zion National Park during the week of Oct. 6. The Three Finger Mesa prescribed fire is 2,100 acres, and the exact date of ignition will depend on weather conditions and the availability to firefighter resources.
