Badlands National Park
From Burden's Landing
https://www.nps.gov/badl/index.htm
Lots of paleontology and fossils. Fossil Exhibit Trail short drive west of visitor center.
Sage Creek Wilderness Area in the north part of the park is a great place to see wildlife. Roberts Prairie Dog Town.
Night sky observing Fridays through Monday during the summer at the Cedar Pass Campground Amphitheater.
Loop Byway
Badlands Loop State Scenic Byway is a 39-mile loop. Takes about one hour without stopping. There are 16 scenic overlooks and eight trails.
For sunrise:
- Big Badlands Overlook near northeast entrance and Ben Reifel Visitor Center
- Door and Window trailhead on east side of park
- Norbeck Pass area
- Panorama Point
For sunset:
- Pinnacles Overlook on west side of park
- Conata Basin Overlook
- Near Bigfoot Pass Picnic Area
Hiking
- Door Trail and Window Trail
- Cliff Shelf Nature Trail near Cedar Pass
- Notch trail. See also this.
- 10-mile round trip Castle Trail (longest in park)
- Saddle Pass Trail. Nice to hike around sunset
- Medicine Loop is at the intersection of Castle and Saddle Pass
Backcountry:
Photography
- National Park Service photography bulletin
- Guide to photographing Badlands National Park
- Badlands National Park — A Quick Guide
- Black Hills and Badlands photography tips
Lodging
- Cedar Pass Lodge. Can also eat at the restaurant. Try the Sioux Indian Tacos: fluffy fry bread with buffalo meat and wojapi, a Native American berry sauce.
See Also
- wikipedia:Badlands National Park
- wikivoyage:Badlands National Park
- "Doorway to Forever"
- Tips for visiting Badlands National Park
- "In the Badlands, Where Hope for the Nation’s First Tribal Park Has Faded." New York Times. December 14, 2016.
- "Bison getting more space in Badlands." Rapid City Journal. December 13, 2016.
