About this city
Badlands National Park encompasses a colossal, geologically striking labyrinth of severely eroded sedimentary spires, pinnacles, and layered mudstone tables in southwestern South Dakota. Carved deeply over millions of years by weathering and water runoff from the Black Hills, this rugged moonscape protects one of the richest oligocene-era mammal fossil beds on Earth. The park dynamically spans raw, mixed-grass prairie tablelands where native wildlife thrives, serving globally as a premier destination for backcountry exploration, active paleontological field research, and deep dark-sky observation.
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Suggested stay: 1–2 days
Drive the breathtaking scenic loops of the Badlands Loop Road, hike the narrow mudstone ledges of the Notch Trail, and view wild American bison grazing along Sage Creek Rim.
