Land of Liberty Explorers

Overview

The area that comprises Badlands National Park was used as a hunting ground for Native Americans for 11,000 years – first by the paleo-Indians, then the Arikara, and finally by the Lakota. The Lakota named it “mako sica” which translates to “Badlands.” French fur-traders referred to this place as “es mauvaises terres pour traverser” or “bad land to travel through. Homesteaders began moving into the area in the late 1800s, but the Dust Bowl of the 1930s forced them to abandon their sod homes. Badlands National Monument was authorized by President Calvin Coolidge in 1929, but not officially recognized as a monument until 1939. The ten-year period allowed the government to acquire private lands and build a thirty mile highway through the land. During the same ten year period blasting was carried out on nearby Mount Rushmore. Amidst the Second World War, the U.S. military took possession of over 300,000 acres from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation south of Badlands National Monument for use as a firing range by the U.S. Army Air Corps. Following the war, the land was returned to the National Park Service. The Ben Reifel Visitor Center was constructed between 1957 and 1958 as part of the Mission 66 Plan. The monument was renamed Badlands National Park in 1978. In 1989, portions of “Dances with Wolves” was filmed within the park boundaries.

Badlands National Park is a sanctuary for some of the most unique wildlife in North America. In 1963, fifty bison from Theodore Roosevelt National Park were released into the Badlands. The herd has grown to roughly 1,200. The park is also home to about 100 black-footed ferrets, one of the most endangered mammal species in North America. Big horn sheep, coyote, mule deer, pronghorn, and prairie dogs are some of the other species that call the park home.

Our Visits

Our first visit to Badlands National Park was just a quick drive along the Badlands Loops Road on our way home from our roadtrip to Glacier National Park in 2020. We enjoyed the incredible scenery and wildlife of the park, and we were excited to make a return visit to explore the park. We returned in the fall of 2024, with our baby girl! Badlands National Park was our daughter’s second national park. She previously visited Rocky Mountain over the summer. During our 2024 visit, we enjoyed hiking some trails and seeing the buffalo herd and prairie dogs along the Sage Creek Rim Road.

Cedar Pass Lodge

Cedar Pass Camp was opened in 1928 by local businessman Ben Millard as a camp ground and provisioner for tourists traveling through the Badlands. Millard’s camp featured a grocery store, dining room, and dance hall. Upon Millard’s death in 1956, the National Park Service renamed the ridge above Cedar Pass “Millard’s Ridge.”

Today, the campground remains along with a collection of rustic 1920s style cabins, a gift shop, and the park’s only restaurant. We loved our little cabin, and the Sioux Indian Tacos at the restaurant were pretty good! Staying in a national park lodge is always a great experience. If you’d like to learn more about national park lodges, check out our blog post No Need for a Tent: Stay at One of our Favorite National Park Lodges.

Hiking in the Badlands

The most well known hiking trail in Badlands National Park is the Notch Trail, with its famous ladder. Unfortunately for us, we didn’t have time to hike on our first visit to Badlands, and during our second longer visit the Notch was closed. While we haven’t yet gotten to climb the famous ladder, we can attest to the nearby Door Trail being a great short hike.

Door Trail

The first quarter mile of the .75 mile Door Trail is accessible boardwalk that leads through the door in the Badlands Wall. When the board walk ends the trail continues over rugged terrain marked by 11 yellow poles until it reaches a sign marking the end of the trial. We did this hike shortly before sundown and really enjoyed the way the settings Sun illuminated the rock features.

Window Trail

The Window Trail is an easy .25 mile walk along an accessible boardwalk to a “window” that looks through the Badlands Wall. It is located in the same parking lot as the Door and the Notch.

Cliff Shelf Nature Trail

We loved contrast provided by the junipers along this moderate half mile loop that includes natural trail, boardwalks, and lots of stairs.

Fossil Exhibit Trail

This easy, fully accessible boardwalk features replicas of fossils found in the Badlands.

Badlands Scenic Loop Road

The most prominent features of Badlands National Park can be easily enjoyed from Badlands Scenic Loop Road. The 32 mile Loop Road, also known SD-240, runs approximately parallel to Interstate 94 between the towns of Interior and Wall. It has 14 pull outs that feature views of the park’s unique geography. Here are some of our favorite stops:

Pinnacles Overlook

Pinnacles Overlook is one of the most expansive views in the park. On our first visit, bighorn sheep were hanging out around this overlook!

Yellow Mounds Overlook

Burns Basin Overlook

This overlook has a very nice accessible boardwalk!

Panorama Point

A beautiful view down to the White River Valley.

Saddlepass Overlook

Big Badlands Overlook

Sage Creek Rim Road

Sage Creek Rim Road is a dirt and gravel road the branches off of Badlands Scenic Loop Road near Pinnacles Overlook. On the map, it is labeled SD-590. The park’s bison herd is often found along Sage Creek Rim Road. The road runs right next to Robert’s Prairie Dog Town as well. We enjoyed seeing both the bison and the prairie dogs. While the prairie dogs may look cute and fun to cuddle, be aware that they’ve tested positive for bubonic plague, so it is best to enjoy watching them scamper about and listen to their barks from a safe distance.