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Don’t let the name fool you. There’s nothing bad about Badlands National Park in South Dakota.
Spanning 244,000 acres, Badlands’ striking buttes, canyons and prairies are home to “many resilient creatures, including some of the most endangered species in North America,” according to the National Park Service.
The rock formations themselves are millions of years old, and Native history on the land goes back to “time immemorial,” according to the Interior Department.
There’s so much to learn at Badlands National Park, the third park in USA TODAY’s year-long series on America’s national parks, but here’s what you should know before you go.
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Where are the Badlands in real life?
Badlands National Park is located in southwestern South Dakota, east of the Black Hills.
It’s about 75 miles away from the state’s second-most populous city, Rapid City. The nearest major airport is Rapid City Regional Airport.
Is Mount Rushmore near the Badlands?
The park is about an hour and a half drive away from Mount Rushmore.
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When did Badlands become a national park?
Badlands National Monument was officially established on Jan. 25, 1939, under President Franklin D. Roosevelt. It became a national park in 1978.
Why do they call it Badlands?
First proposed as Wonderland National Park back in 1922, the name Badlands pays homage to the Lakota people, who long called the area mako sica, literally ‘bad lands,'” according to the National Park Service.
The area’s rocky terrain, sometimes harsh weather and few water sources, which are “normally muddy and unsafe to drink,” would have made it a hard place to settle down. Indeed, the Park Service says, “To date, archaeologists have not discovered any sign of permanent habitation in the park. Instead, campfire, butchering, and quarry sites suggest that the Badlands served as a seasonal hunting ground for a succession of peoples.”
What Native Americans lived in Badlands?
More than two dozen Native tribes are historically associated with what is now Badlands.
The South Unit of the park actually sits on Tribal Trust land, “held in trust by the Federal Government for the use and benefit of the tribal members of the Oglala Sioux Tribe,” according to the park.
Why are the Badlands famous?
Badlands National Park has “one of the world’s richest fossil beds,” according to the National Park Service. More than 19,000 fossils were unearthed in one site alone, Big Pig Dig, including ancestors of the modern rhino, horse and mouse-deer.
During the summer, visitors can see paleontologists at work in the Fossil Preparation Lab.
Mark your calendarEntry to all national parks is free on these five days in 2023
Do I need a reservation for Badlands National Park?
Reservations are not required to enter Badlands National Park. The entry fee is $30 per vehicle and $25 per motorcycle. For hikers, bikers and others not arriving by vehicle or motorcycle, the fee is $15 per person.
How long does it take to go through Badlands National Park?
You could easily spend anywhere from a few hours to a few days in Badlands National Park. Travelers short on time can pop into the Ben Reifel Visitor Center and drive along the scenic Badlands Loop Road, which takes one to two hours. Hikes range from one to five hours. Other experience times vary.
What is the best time of year to visit the Badlands?
Travelers may want to visit Badlands during the spring and fall as the winters can be cold and windy and summers can be hot and dry, according to the park. However the Fossil Preparation Lab is only open from mid-June through late September.
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