Badlands National Park in Williston

This is my third visit, I’m always Amazed!This time we saw a lot of wild life, i was happy to use the outhouse, along the way.Saw the park in the last hour’s of sunlight, so the sunset was a wonderful experience!

Incredible place. I loved taking these photos. I highly recommend spending a few days to look around. Weatherwise I would wear layers there. Even though it was a sunny day when I went there were periods of cold winds and rain.Toilets are available as well as food in the visitors center. A place to take the entire family.

This is probably one of the most amazing parks Ive been to so far on my travels. The views are breath taking and the drive around the park offers an amazing tour of the Badlands. This one is a must see and should be added to your bucket list.

Impressive!Took the loop drive through the park and made sure to get OUT of the car SEVERAL times. NUMEROUS Scenic Overlooks and Trail Systems. Map available from Ranger at entrance when paying fee or using annual pass.Walked the Notch and Window Trails as well as the Fossil Trail. Seasoned walker with 4-6 miles a day. All these were short trails but the altitude change, heat, and wind made them tougher than you might think. STAY HYDRATED. 😊Encountered one VERY SMALL snake on the Notch Trail - 6-8” but watch the signs and stay in the marked trails. Saw several Prong Horn Sheep exiting the park as well as one buffalo on Park land.STAY ON THE TRAILS / away from the edges. Saw several selfie seekers getting too close for my comfort. EXTREMELY steep drops to valley below.

Visited mid-September, and a bit busy but not crowded at all. Amazing! Many people think stopping in the middle of the road is a great idea! Well worth the loop trip, a couple of steep grades but the road quality was very good. Really nice paleontology section at the visitor center.

Great place to go for a one day visit. Easy short scenic hikes right off the road. You can even simply drive through the park and not get out of your car and see a whole lot. Lots of wildlife and such a unique environment. Never seems to be to crowded. Definitely one of everyones better rated National Park.

This was our 35th National Park and we loved it. We drove through most of the park and it wasnt crowded at all. Lots of parking lots of overlooks. Highly recommend the Notch Trail. Lots of good views and the ladder climb is fun and unique. Mostly kid friendly park!

We drove around the badlands loop. The cost is $30 to enter the park. I loved the big badlands overlook, amazing landscape from there. The rest of the overlooks were fine. Probably took us around 2 hours to finish the entire loop.

Beautiful views and so many unique rock formations. There is also wildlife in the badlands. We enjoyed watching the prairie dogs runaround. It’s a very beautiful relaxing drive around the park and make sure you stop and check out the views up close. I am in a wheelchair and they have a few areas where I could go out and get a more close-up view. We definitely recommend stopping here!

Breathtaking views. We were here a couple weeks and it was just awesome! Bring extra water on hikes for sure! Since there is little to no light pollution, youll be able to see the beautiful night sky and youll definitely seeing some shooting stars. Just gotta go if you visiting this part of South Dakota. So quiet and peaceful

I am yet to read full history how this formed but our decision to spend a couple of hours here in the park was the most important decision in our entire road trip.This is super beautiful. The overall experience can’t be described until you yourself see. Must visit is you are in the area. Photos don’t do justice.

Very family friendly - easy hikes, spectacular scenery, one-way drive through the park, plenty to do and see. The unique nature of the Badlands allows you and your family to get our on and among the formations. Everyone from toddlers to teens can enjoy scrambling around on the formations. Visit the Windows and Door hikes for the best place to get up close and personal with the formations. Plenty of wildlife to be seen, along with incredible scenery. It is very much a drive through park with plenty of roadside stops and easy walks to viewpoints.

Such a beautiful country here! Great for kids, as there are many stops on the loop to check out the terrain. It is great for those who have limitations because you are able to see amazing views just from the car. Many of the pull offs are easily accessible. My family always enjoys the loop.

Love visiting there. The views are spectacular everywhere you look. Its purely amazing. There are a few areas you can get out and walk around. Lots of bison roaming as well as deer and Prarie Dogs. Plenty of pull offs, many with restrooms. Very nice Visiting Center and Gift shop/store next door. There are many picnic areas as well.

Visited Badlands National Park twice now. First time as a kid traveling out west with my dad and brother. Most recent summer 2021 with my wife and kids. To put it into words is difficult. Amazing, unreal, fascinating, and beautiful all describe it well. But one really needs to experience the breathtaking awe for themselves. We spent three days in the park and feel like we only scratched the surface. While there we hiked the Castle trail to Saddle Pass, great hike! We saw buffalo, bighorn sheep, antelope and prairie dogs. Coming from Michigan, Badlands is unlike any landscape there. It was a great time and even though weve been there we could go back again and again!

This place is wonderful, we stopped and got a bit to eat at the dinner on the way through. the park is vast and part Pine Ridge Native American Reservation. Myself personally, I thought the view was better at the Red Shirt Overlook however. this part also offered some good view points as well.

Once youre there you understand why they are called Badlands. The formations have beautiful colors that change during the day. There are places to stop and look and take pictures. Pictures do not do justice to the actual beauty and wonder of these land formations.

Really amazing and peaceful place. Make sure you have sun protection and keep yourself hydrated while traveling in summer. It was really hot when I visited this place in July😳 Worth visiting this place😍

Unbelievable beautiful place! The yellow mounds are unlike everything Ive ever seen before! If I had kids and lived close to here, I would totally take them here and let them climb and explore ALL over the place and wear themselves out while I stayed in the car and read a book or something! As long as they stayed within view of the car, they could just go and have a blast! I would have loved that as a kid!

We werent originally going to go to The Badlands, but decided to drive the extra hour. Im so glad we did as there were some amazing views! I had no idea there was a mini Grand Canyon in South Dakota. 😉 My kids also enjoyed hiking around (they may be hard to spot in the pics).

Good park for a drive through, great park for a couple day stay. Sunset off Sage Creek road brings lots of colors into overlooking the wilderness and Buffalo roaming.If you have older kids, they get a kick out of all the climbing available on the Notch trail.

This place you have to stop you have to stop and go in the Badlands National Park this place has it all mountains deserts wildlife beautiful people always happy and did I tell you this place looks like Venus doesnt even look like America I saw the man on the moon this place is a five-star must stop bring a lot of water very very hot as you see in my picture theres only one Cloud out there for very minimal shade

Very impressive place, with very little walking or hiking needed. Theres areas that are available for hiking or letting kids play, but most lookouts are close to the parking. Took me about an hour to go through the northern scenic route

Badlands National Park is absolutely spectacular. It is very convenient if you are visiting the Black Hills or just passing through on Interstate 90. The scenic drive is absolutely incredible with many pull-outs and overlooks to view scenery and spot wildlife. To spot bison, you want to be near the Wall entrance of the park for the best chance of seeing them. Do not miss the Door, Window and Notch Hikes. The Door and Window are not really hikes, they are just boardwalks. The Notch Trail is fun to do since it has a 70 foot ladder. Be careful in the summer months as the Notch Trail can get very busy backing up at the ladder. Do NOT attempt the ladder if you are afraid of heights. One of the great things about this park is that you can walk off-trail and camp outside the campgrounds within certain restrictions. There are not as many hiking trails here as there other parks so keep that in mind. Be sure to visit the visitor center for park information, the gift store and park exhibits. This is a great park for kids, they will love to climb over the rock formations in the Door/Notch area. Watch out for any fossils that you might find in the rock!

Gorgeous day to explore this National Park! Very interesting and beautiful formations. Definitely worth the diversion off I-90 to drive the loop.

Amazing, otherworldly place. Lots of wild animals roaming about. We visited in the summer and the weather changed extremely quickly so be aware of that. It went from 100 degree temps to storms and pea sized hail. Overall, had a great experience visiting this park.

This is such a beautiful National Park and we were in awe the entire tie we drove through it. Each lookout and geological formation was just as amazing as the last. Wildlife crosses nearby so by aware. Stay hydrated and be prepared for the (dryheat. The wind blows a bit of dust so make sure your sunglasses are big. Do not miss this park if youre nearby.

I love this park! The views are stunning. Everything is easily accessible. I came during summer and it was not very crowded. Temps can get hot, so plan for a day with overcast or go early or late in the day. The hikes are lovely! Platforms are available for walking, and you can also get out and explore the terrain on your own. This is the playground I dreamt of as a kid. Pit toilets are scattered about. No showers. Good connection with Verizon. Plenty of wildlife.

This was my first visit to Badlands National Park. The door and window are boardwalk trails, making accessibility for all. Make sure you bring a camera or phone to take a lot of pictures. I highly recommend stopping at the visitor center. All of the overlooks have beautiful views. Don’t forget your sun screen, a hat, sun glasses, water, and proper footwear if you decide to hike on the notch trail.

Absolutely beautiful! We drove the scenic route twice. Great park for all ages. You can see so much just from your car, super easy hikes on a boardwalk at several pullovers and of course you can hike out on your own for more intense and challenging hikes. Something for everyone. If you want to see wildlife, get out early in the morning (before 9amlots to see! Def check out the yellow mounds overlook, my personal favorite.

Amazing! We almost skipped it on the way to Mount Rushmore. So blessed that we didnt. Its amazing! Pictures cannot do it justice. Its only 30 dollars to drive the loop. Loop is 29 miles and takes about 45 mins if you dont stop. I would suggest stopping a few times though. The kids loved climbing the rocks and nice gift shop.

One of our favorite National Parks. The loop currently has road construction and there are delays so you’d need to plan for that. But the roads are looking nice so it’ll be worth it. Try to make as many of the overlooks as you can when driving the loop. Every view offers a different scene and they’re all unique and beautiful. Love coming here!

Always love stopping by this national park. I appreciate how vast and changing this park is. I do wish there were trails that would hike down into the rocky canyon land. Longer trails to spend more time in this landscape would be amazing

What an amazing place to be, loved the scenic drive went to hike couple places.Just beautiful sunset. they have lodging there as well.The entrance fee was like $30. I will be going back here again and this time Im going there with my camera and camping equipment and staying here. The amazing breeze you feel on the peaks and the climbing experience in general. I will be back here for more. S+

What an awe-inspiring place! We could have easily spent days here, but only had one. We hiked a few different trails with our 7 year olds and walked through most of the different areas.It truly is beautiful and shows you just how powerful nature can be.Our boys had a great time becoming Junior Rangers, so if you have kids, be sure to hit up the visitors center when you first visit the park.

I highly encourage everyone is this area to take the scenic byway route. Truly incredible. It was overcast cold windy and rainy but still 100% worth it. The rock formations are unlike anything around here and it just kind of pops out. The colors are beautiful and tons of great small trails. Be sure to check out all the prairie dogs, so cute!

Immaculate. I went there during a crazy time. It was closed the day before and up until 30 min before arriving. I heard most dont see it during the winter so here you go. An incredible trip. There was like 10 total cars we saw.

Badlands is a magical place. The isolation is incredible and the geography and geology of the park is so unique. We saw bison, prairie dogs, pronghorn, and mountain goats. I highly recommend doing the Door trail, as it’s an easy way to get into the heart of the badlands, and feel truly alone. The landscapes are truly stunning and worthy of all the time you can give them.

This park is beautiful. We went in May and the weather was warm but not too hot. Not too many people either. The scenery and landscape is insane; it felt like we were on another planet. The park is very well kept, they have tons of nice trails and walkways and overlooks. We also saw a lot of wildlife; bison, bighorn sheep, deer, antelope, prairie dogs etc. So cool! Also the sunrise was breathtakingly gorgeous. We had an amazing time here!

Beautiful location and would recommend visiting around noon to 3pm to get a good climate while you’re there. Recommend bringing a warm jacket/wind breaker for the windy chills you might experience as you get higher up the precipices on your tour.

The Badlands are a beautiful area with tons of unique geological features and wonderful views from every direction! It was very hot when we visited so we did not get out and hike much, but it was still a wonderful experience anyway! The lights and shadows interplay wonderfully in the area with the way the canyons and ridges cut throughout the area. There are some cool walkouts along the drive and the experience here was great! It does get very hot so bring lots of water and food. We are going to come back in the winter for the hiking as it seems it would be very enjoyable in cooler weather.

Badlands NP offers a lot of great things to do and places to see. If you dont have a lot of time in the park, just do the Badlands Loop (SD 240and stop at a few of the overlooks. In the summer, make sure to bring enough water for your whole group. There are many animals here including prairie dogs, bison, and bighorn sheep. This park has an open hiking policy meaning you dont have to stay on the marked trails if you dont want to. A lot of the park is actually open to free camping, just check the website before your trip for regulations.

Such an incredible and majestic landscape. Who would have thought natural erosion can cause such beautiful, fantastic and striking formations. It just feels like the best artist out there, took all the time in the world, and painted this landscape. It just feels so surreal, you just soak it in, and then after a while you realize whats in front of your eyes is just so real.

Love it! We came on a day when there was a wind advisory which probably wasnt the best idea, but it was the only day we could come and we didnt regret it one bit. You can easily spend hours here and Im already planning on coming back soon. Buy the America the Beautiful pass for $80 and get unlimited admission to a ton of different parks around the country, including Devils Tower if thats on your list.

The reviews of this place speak for itself. 99.4% of the reviews are 3 stars or higher and 97.9% are 4 or higher. In terms of National Park popularity, The Badlands are very underrated.I came here during the month of May, a period in which it was absolutely beautiful. Watching a sunrise or sunset is definitely something to consider to say the least.The park is not that long of a drive and can be seen in less than a day. Some day in the future Id like to camp here.Rattlesnakes are something to be aware of btw.Overall, I highly recommend this place. The views are breathtaking

Beautiful and scenic! We came here while on vacation in the summer of 2020. The scenery is just breathtaking! We came during the middle of the day, though the sunset views seem to be where its at! Loved our time exploring this national park! Definitely be sure to give yourself ample time for exploring, we only drove through and stopped at several of the overlooks.

Absolutely stunning place to visit. The views are amazing and there is so much to see and do just watch for wildlife crossing the road. There are a bunch of places to pull over and take some pics or park and take a hike. The visitor center is on the smaller side but has a lot of interesting information as well as a little gift shop.

absolutely loved this park.we visited this area for Mount Rushmore and our side trip became more memorable and exciting than main destination. wild cold nature, plenty of animals you can watch up close, and few people. definitely will come back again in summer months.

Unbelievably beautiful. Great hiking and scenic driving. If you enjoy driving for miles on dirt roads with few people to disturb the beauty then this is the place to go. I will definitely be returning.

The Badlands quickly became one of my favorite places in the world. I dont think I will ever get tired of seeing this place. The map you get at the visitor center is so simple to follow. If you visit multiple times, its cool to take the residential route to look at the farms that exist on the south side, but theres little wildlife to look at and there are no overlooks. Each overlook is very strategic and offers different views. The fossil area is also super fun. I didnt know Sabertooth Tigers were up there. The wild bison are my favorite and also the Prairie dogs. Theyre much more picture friendly in the fall when they arent protecting their little babies. I didnt see bighorn sheep until my third visit to the park. Your ticket admission is also good for 7 days after you enter. Ive never camped there but would be open to it.