Badlands National Park: Half-Day Itinerary

We were set up in Wall, SD, at an RV park so we could get electricity. Our batteries were all but dead, and despite troubleshooting them to try and recharge them on shore power, we didn't trust them. We couldn't risk moving over to the Buffalo Gap dispersed camping area, and so we extended our stay at Sleepy Hollow. This meant needing to switch sites on Wednesday because ours would no longer be available. Not a huge deal, except Wednesday was going to be our day to visit the Badlands. We remained hopeful that the couple checking out of our new site on Wednesday would leave early. No such luck. They left at 11AM on the dot. Fair and square, but that meant a lot of waiting around time for us. We didn't pack much because we were only going one row over. We just placed breakable items on the floor. Then we did a quick hitch-up with no sway bars and made our way into our new site.

We were set back even more when we noticed that our 12V system wasn't working again. We feared the worst, but I tried the simplest method - turn the system off and on again - and it worked. We have no idea why driving 20 feet would cause the batteries to glitch, but we haven't been understanding our batteries for a while now. We plugged into our pedestal and hoped that nothing else would malfunction. We really wanted to embark on our Badlands excursion!

We finished settling in around 12:30PM and headed straight out. We stopped at the Wall Food Center to pick up some snacks and then made our way down I-90 to the start of Badlands Loop Road.

Badlands Loop is not really a loop at all; it's route 240, which makes a squiggly U-shape. The loop connector is I-90, which means you can choose where to start along the interstate, either at the Wall exit, or 20 miles further east in Philip. We started in Philip for a couple of reasons. First, the hikes we wanted to do were all on the east side of the loop and we preferred to do those earlier in our visit. Second, we'd be able to exit the loop just minutes from our campground, not needing to worry about a 20-minute interstate drive when we were tired.

We knew basically nothing about the Badlands before visiting, except for some pictures we had seen and some recommended hikes and viewpoints made by other travelers. We had traveled through several badlands landscapes as we made our way through Wyoming, but those did not prepare us for the wonder of this park. The buttes and spires that make up the park were deposited 75 million years ago, and once formed, water and wind erosion gradually shaped them into what we see today, and will continue to shape them as long as earth exists. This landscape is dynamic and ancient, two makings for a treasure trove of fossils. The area is an important study ground for paleontologists. When we visited the Museum of Geology in Rapid City, we saw several exhibits of fossils and rocks that were discovered in the Badlands, but it wasn't until we visited the park that we understood just how the changes in landscape result in the exposures of these ancient discoveries.

We packed a lot into our afternoon at the park, stopping at virtually every overlook and taking many of the short hikes. We now have a sense of which stops we'd recommend, which is what we'll be showing in our itinerary, so that if you have a half-day in the area, you can see all the best sights.

Before even getting into the national park, you will find many places to stop, so that if you have a full day, you can add these into your itinerary. Just north of I-90 at the Philips exit is Minute Man National Historic Site, the home of two Great Plains ballistic missile control centers and Cold War exhibits. Then, making your way south on route 240, you will pass the Badlands Trading post, the Badlands Ranch store (where you can feed the colony of prairie dogs!), and the Prairie Homestead. We wish we had gotten more time to check these places out, but next time we're in the area, you can bet we'll be feeding those prairie dogs!

As you approach the northeast entrance station, the Badlands National Park sign will be on the right, before the station. Don't miss it if you want photos! Otherwise, head through the entrance gate, and immediately after on the left is the Big Badlands Overlook.

Big Badlands Overlook

This overlook can get crowded, being the first stop for many on the loop. It gives an incredible first glimpse of the landscape that's in store for your visit. Be sure to walk all the way to the end of the boardwalk for the most expansive views. Don't get too overwhelmed, though; even better views will be coming soon!

Door and Window Trails

These trailheads share a parking lot with a couple others, one being the Notch Trail, which we'll discuss next. The Door and Window Trails are both short wooden boardwalk trails, though the Door has a special feature: Beyond the boardwalk, you're allowed to immerse yourself deeper into the Badlands. A series of posts help guide you over the terrain. Some climbing is involved in this section, but even going a few steps in can give you unique vantage points that the boardwalk simply doesn't allow. We felt like we were walking among giant sandcastles!

The Window Trail leads to - you guessed it - a natural "window" lookout where you can view the formations below. Just be sure to follow the correct boardwalk and don't go off trail. Even though the window itself is the lookout at the end of the trail, many hike this trail to see a nearby formation that looks like a series of windows. It gave off a bit of a Colosseum vibe and was definitely our favorite feature on the trail.

The Notch Trail

Arguably the most famous hike in the park, the Notch Trail leaves from the other side of the parking lot. It's an out-and back trail that is 1.5 miles total, but in that short distance are amazing views of the buttes, rock scrambles/climbs, and the infamous ladder: A 50-foot wire cable construction with wooden log rungs, built right into a cliffside. This is what you take to get from one level of the trail to the next, and back down again on your way out. It's not for the faint of heart, but it certainly adds to the thrill of the hike. Take your time and wear sturdy shoes! We went at a busy time of day, and everyone was extremely kind and patient. We were all in the same situation, after all, and so we just supported one another on our climbs.

The end of the trail looks out over the Cliff Shelf nature trail, which was our next stop after the Notch Trail. You can also spot the visitor center in the distance, as well as the prairie beyond the badlands.

The Notch Trail was easily the most recommended must-do activity in the Badlands, and we agree that it was a highlight of our visit. We came prepared with sturdy boots and lots of water, and that's most important here. As long as you know what you're in for, this trail can be a blast.

Cliff Shelf Nature Trail

A short trail but with quite a bit of stairs to climb, Cliff Shelf was surprisingly beautiful. The view from the top of the stairs was gorgeous, even with the haze that was in the air the day we visited. This view exemplifies the juxtaposition of the buttes and the grasslands. On our way down from the top of this trail, we saw a deer relaxing in the woods right off trail.

The Ben Reifel Visitor Center

The only visitor center in the park is located pretty far into the loop. This is because it's nearest the Interior entrance gate, for visitors coming in from the south. The visitor center has exhibits, a gift shop, and a theater, and is right next door to the Cedar Pass Lodge, which in addition to accommodations, also has a gift shop and a restaurant. We stopped in at both to purchase some souvenirs and our 18th national park pin to add to our pin board.

The loop then takes you west at the juncture with route 377, which leads to the town of Interior. This is where the long stretch of road displays endless rock formations interspersed with prairie fields. We didn't stop much here, but we passed a few overlooks and trailheads that seemed intriguing, namely the Fossil Exhibit Trailhead, which is a short interpretive trail showing fossil replicas that have been found in the Badlands. We did a similar trail when we were at Big Bend National Park and they are always informative and fun for geology enthusiasts.

Even if you don't stop at a lot of the viewpoints, the views from the road are spectacular.

White River Valley Overlook and Panorama Point

We had heard of Panorama Point as a great place to watch sunrise and sunset, and while we feel it's worth a stop, we actually preferred White River Valley Overlook. It was more expansive, with lots of places to walk beyond the parking lot, as long as you're not too scared of heights! Both of these overlooks are located on curves in the road, so depending on the time of year, either could be a good vantage point for a sunrise or sunset. Even during daylight, the views were some of our favorites of the entire loop.

We may have done ourselves a disservice by not venturing to the other side of the road where the prairie overlooks were, but we were there to see the formations. Prairies we had seen. Luckily, there were was more prairieland just up the road, complete with all the wildlife you'd expect.

Pinnacles Overlook

Just before the Wall entrance, aka the Pinnacles entrance, is the famous Pinnacles Overlook. Being our last official overlook of the park, we weren't sure if it would live up to the hype, but it did. This overlook has stairs leading down to different levels, and even though it was quite the climb back up, we're glad we went down a level because we got to see a closer view of the valley below. See if you can spot the bison in the photos!

This was our start to seeing lots of bison. We almost couldn't leave through the gate because a giant bison - and we mean giant - was just hanging out, giving himself a scratch on one of the posts. We waited patiently and eventually he wandered to the other side of the road. He seemed appreciative that we gave him his time and space. After exiting, we pulled over to take photos by this national park sign because we hadn't stopped at the other one. We had great timing, too, because we actually got a couple of bison in the background of our photos! Also in this area are tons of prairie dogs, sharing the land with the bison. Told you we'd see the prairieland!

Honorable mention: Ancient Hunters Overlook

We weren't actually going to stop here as there isn't much of a view and it's right before Pinnacles Overlook, but as we passed by, we saw an adolescent bighorn ram across the road. We were in for an incredible viewing opportunity and couldn't pass it up. This ram was a lot less skittish than the other sheep we had seen back in Wyoming. At one point he wandered right by us and over to the parking lot, and then made his way up the street to graze on some flowers. I will say, everyone that was watching him was incredibly respectful, backing up whenever he came wandering close. It was nice to see, especially after visiting other national parks this year where far too many "tourons" exist.

Speaking of the people, this national park was special. Perhaps it's because the main attractions all lie on a small loop, so we cross paths with a lot of people, sometimes multiple times, but everyone was so nice. Lots of fellow RVers and Vanlifers all sharing the adventure together really brought home a sense of community for us. We love moments where we can all appreciate this country's beauty. We're all there for the same reason.

The Badlands is one of those national parks that doesn't feel overwhelming; you can visit for a day or less and still feel like you got a sense of what the park offers. That said, there is plenty to do if you want to spend more time here too. For us, the highlights were the people, the wildlife, and the nice balance of driving and hiking. We tend to enjoy our scenic drives with short hikes when we're in national parks, and this was no exception. Even though we only mentioned a handful of overlooks and trails, we really don't think you can go wrong no matter where you choose to stop in this park. There are also plenty of smaller pullouts and lots that don't have names, but allow outstanding views.

In general, if you're looking for the best views of the buttes and other formations, the eastern and southern parts of the loop are best. If you want to mix in some prairie and plains, head on the southern part of the loop but look north. And if you're hoping for some wildlife sightings, the Pinnacles area was just that for us. We are glad we took the loop in this direction, from east to west, starting with the hikes and saving the wildlife for last.

After we left the park, we passed by the Buffalo Gap dispersed camping areas. Sad that we'd need to wait until our next visit to experience camping on "The Rim," we decided to drive over there and check it out. We could see what everyone raves about. The views cannot be beat. The area is undergoing some changes in response to the growing popularity of campers. We saw posts being put in to designate site boundaries. We also heard from RVer friends of ours that rangers are conducting surveys which they will use to implement appropriate facilities in the area. So we don't know if Buffalo Gap will be the same the next time we return. We'll just have to see.

Meanwhile, we were content at Sleepy Hollow campground. A few more storms rolled in toward the end of the week, including one that dumped buckets of rain the night before we were due to leave. If we were out on The Rim, we would have undoubtedly been leaving through ruts and mud. We also dodged some pretty gnarly winds and lightning. So maybe it's for the best. We had our little gravel site, and we had all the resources we needed. With all the electric issues, and all the issues in general that we've had over the past several months, we were just happy to still be in the rig, on the road, and visiting places we've dreamed of.

Campground:

Sleepy Hollow Campground and RV Park
Sites 9, 20: Gravel pull-thru, FHU, picnic table
Campground recommended? Yes
Sites recommended? Yes