We had such a great time visiting Badlands! We were able to beat the crowds + heat by starting our mornings around 4:30am for sunrise before heading to Wall, SD during the heat of the day for lunch. Afterwards we headed back to camp for an afternoon ...
Sections
5
Places to Stay
Places To Eat
Easy Hikes
Hard Hikes
Other things to do
Places to Stay
From Motels, to established campgrounds, to dispersed camping!
I needed a last minute hotel during fourth of July weekend and was able to get a room here for $109 whereas elsewhere in wall was charging $200+. after fees. There is no AC, however the evening temps help cool down the rooms.
Welsh's Motel
I'm excited to camp here on my first trip to badlands! $38.55 for the night. This is one of two campgrounds in Badlands National Park
Cedar Pass RV & Campground | Badlands National Park
This is a free, first come first serve campground in Badlands National Park
Campgrounds (U.S. National Park Service)
Sage Creek Campground is a free first come first serve campground in Badlands National Park and highly recommend stopping if you have the chance! Please note that there is a fee to enter the national park, and highly recommend purchasing the America ...
Campgrounds (U.S. National Park Service)
Convenient campground right at the base of Devils Tower!
Devils Tower / Black Hills KOA Journey
Places To Eat
Here are some of the places we ate at while visiting Wall/Badlands
Tourist destination with Cafe & Coffee
Wall Drug Store
Restaurant inside Badlands National Park located next to the Ben Reifel Visitor Center serving hot breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Cedar Pass Restaurant | Badlands National Park | CedarPassLodge.com
Burgers, salads, beer, and more located near Wall Drug in Wall, SD
Salty Steer
Easy Hikes
Great for all ages/skill levels!
Just a short walk from the parking lot!
The Window Trail, South Dakota - 1976 Reviews, Map
This one isn't necessarily a hike as much as its an overlook. This is a great place to watch sunset at the end of the day!
Bigfoot Pass Overlook
This is moreso an overlook and is one of the most popular places in the park to view sunset which can be viewed from the parking lot or by taking the stairs further down into the overlook
Pinnacles Overlook, South Dakota - 420 Reviews, Map
This trail is less than a mile long and mostly on boardwalk
Fossil Exhibit Trail, South Dakota - 968 Reviews, Map
This one was another favorite and a great spot to watch sunrise
The Door Trail, South Dakota - 3417 Reviews, Map
This one was another favorite for me! This is a popular trail with a small parking lot and recommend visiting early morning before the crowds come in
Cliff Shelf Nature Trail, South Dakota
Hard Hikes
For those looking for more of a challenge!
This was one of my favorite hikes in the park! The ladder was the best part
Notch Trail, South Dakota - 7576 Reviews, Map
This trail has rough terrain, however the view is well worth the climb!
Saddle Pass Trail, South Dakota
This is one of the longer trails in the park boasting various types of wildflowers in the spring!
Castle Trail, South Dakota - 1343 Reviews, Map
Other things to do
We had so much fun visiting these places and participating in these activities!
We had so much fun participating in the dark sky ranger program at 9pm at the amphitheater near the Ben Reifel Visitor Center and highly recommend!
Badlands Ranger Programs
This was so cool! We were able to watch paleontologists prep fossils and ask questions about other fossils found in the park!
Visit the Fossil Preparation Lab
Located roughly two hours from Badlands and highly recommend attending any of the tours!
Wind Cave National Park
Take a close look at real mammoth fossils, located only 15 minutes from Wind Cave National Park
The Mammoth Site
Only about 1.5 hours from Badlands and highly worth the trip!
Custer State Park
Visit this National Monument on the Wyoming side of the Black Hills
Devils Tower National Monument
Learn more about the history of the land, memorial, plus the history and culture of local tribes and surrounding areas
