Badlands National Park, National Park in South Dakota, United States
Badlands National Park is a protected area in South Dakota spanning roughly 244,000 acres across three counties. The rock formations consist of colored layers of sand, clay, and volcanic ash shaped into pointed towers and deep canyons.
The area received National Monument status in 1939 and was expanded to a park in 1978. The preserved rock layers date from the Oligocene epoch, a period roughly 23 to 34 million years ago.
The Lakota community called this landscape Mako Sica, meaning bad or barren land. Visitors encounter that history today mainly in the Stronghold Unit, managed by tribal members and offering access to sacred sites.
The Ben Reifel Visitor Center serves as the main starting point for trail walks and information, especially during summer months. Paths are often narrow and unpaved, so sturdy footwear and plenty of water are recommended.
The sediments contain remains of extinct mammals such as prehistoric horses and rhinoceroses. Paleontologists still regularly uncover new fossils here that shed light on the evolution of North American animal species.
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South Dakota holds natural spaces, historical sites, and cultural locations beyond Mount Rushmore. Visitors encounter waterfalls in Spearfish Canyon, underground cave systems like Jewel Cave, and geological formations at the Badlands Wilderness Area. Bear Butte and Spirit Mound Historic Prairie...
Badlands Wilderness
15.3 km
Prairie Homestead
48.1 kmFossil Exhibit Trail
40 km
Ben Reifel Visitor Center
44.9 kmWhite River Visitor Center
26.5 kmConata Basin Overlook
26.9 km
Minuteman Missile National Historic Site Visitor Center
49.2 km
Ancient Hunters Overlook
25.4 km
Yellow Mounds Overlook
26.7 km
Saddle Pass Trailhead
42.3 kmBig Badlands Overlook
48.4 kmBadlands Wilderness Overlook
23.9 kmAmphitheatre
44.5 kmDoor
46.3 kmRoberts Prairie Dog Town
23.2 kmWhite River Valley Overlook
37.8 kmBigfoot Pass Overlook
36.8 kmPanorama Point
35.7 kmSage Creek Basin Overlook
21.8 kmCreston Dinosaur
23.9 kmHay Butte Overlook
24.1 kmWindow
46.1 kmScenic viewpoint
42.6 kmScenic viewpoint
42.3 kmScenic viewpoint
45.8 kmScenic viewpoint
45.8 kmScenic viewpoint
45.8 kmScenic viewpoint
45.9 kmDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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