33 Best Sights in Badlands National Park, South Dakota

From this spot just south of the park's northeast entrance, the vast majority of the park's 1 million annual visitors get their first views of the White River Badlands.

See where Sioux Chief Big Foot and his band traveled en route to the battle at Wounded Knee, December 29, 1890.

Until 2008, paleontologists dug for fossils at this site near the Conata Picnic Area. It was named for a large fossil originally thought to be of a prehistoric pig (it turned out to be a small, hornless rhinoceros). Wayside signs and exhibits, including a mural, provide context on the area and its fossils.

There is only a handful of tables here and no water or restrooms, but the incredible view makes it a lovely spot to have lunch.

The park's longest hike runs 5 miles one way between the Fossil Exhibit trailhead on Badlands Loop Road and the parking area for the Door and Windows trails. Although the Castle Trail is fairly level, allow at least three hours to cover the entire 10 miles out and back. If you choose to follow the Medicine Root Loop, which detours off the Castle Trail, you'll add ½ mile to the trek. Experienced hikers will do this one more quickly. Moderate.

This ½-mile loop winds through a wooded prairie oasis in the middle of dry, rocky ridges and climbs 200 feet to a peak above White River Valley for an incomparable view. Look for chipmunks, squirrels, and red-winged blackbirds in the wet wood, and eagles, hawks, and vultures at hilltop. Even casual hikers can complete this trail in far less than an hour, but if you want to observe the true diversity of wildlife present here, stay longer. Moderate.

A half-dozen or so covered picnic tables are scattered over this area, which rests against a badlands wall ½ mile south of Badlands Loop Road. There's no potable water, but there are bathroom facilities and you can enjoy your lunch in peaceful isolation at the threshold of the Badlands Wilderness Area. The Conata Basin area is to the east, and Sage Creek area is to the west.

The ¾-mile round-trip trail leads through a natural opening, or door, in a badlands rock wall. The eerie sandstone formations and passageways beckon, but it's recommended that you stay on the trail. The first 100 yards of the trail are on a boardwalk. Even a patient and observant hiker will take only about 30 minutes. Easy.

Watch a 45-minute presentation on the wildlife, natural history, paleontology, or another aspect of the Badlands. Shows typically begin around 9 pm. Stick around afterward for the Night Sky Viewing, a stargazing interpretive program complete with telescopes.

What were the Badlands like many years ago? This 20-minute talk about protected fossil exhibits will inspire and answer all your questions. It's usually held at 10:30 am and 1:30 pm daily at the Fossil Exhibit Trail.

Learn the geologic story of the White River Badlands in a 45-minute walk, generally departing from the Door Trailhead daily at 8:30 am. The terrain can be rough in places, so be sure to wear hiking boots or sneakers. A hat is a good idea, too.

Children ages 7--12 can join in this daily, 30-minute adventure, typically a short hike, game, or other hands-on activity focused on badlands wildlife, geology, or fossils. Parents are welcome. Meet at the visitor center at 11 am, and wear closed-toe shoes.

One of the park's more interesting hikes, this 1½-mile round-trip trail takes you over moderately difficult terrain and up a ladder. Winds at the notch can be fierce, but it's worth lingering for the view of the White River Valley and the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. With breaks to enjoy the views, you'll probably spend more than an hour on this hike. Moderate--Difficult.

The Pine Ridge Reservation is home to more than 20,000 Oglala Lakota, members of a major Sioux division known as the Western or Teton Sioux, who live in nine tribal districts on 2 million acres of land. They are led by a Tribal Council president who is advised by an executive committee and a tribal council.

Changing exhibits highlight Native American culture and art; the permanent collection has 10,000 contemporary and historical pieces. The gift shop sells locally made Lakota crafts and fine or decorative works of art.

Once a homestead, the site today contains one of the country's largest (if not the largest) colonies of black-tailed prairie dogs.

This route, which connects with Castle Trail and Medicine Root Loop, is a steep, ¼-mile round-trip route up and down the side of "The Wall," an impressive rock formation. Plan on spending about an hour on this climb. Difficult.

This gravel route near the Pinnacles entrance follows the road less traveled and covers rougher terrain than Badlands Loop Road. Sage Creek Rim Road is completely negotiable by most vehicles, but should be avoided during a thunderstorm when the sudden rush of water may cause flooding. It might also close temporarily after snowstorms. A vast mixed-grass prairie covers the rest. Keep an eye out for free-roaming bison.

This 7-mile dirt road in the Stronghold Unit is ideal for mountain biking, but should be attempted only when dry, and riders must stay on the road. The terrain is level for the first 3 miles, then it climbs and levels out again. At the top you can take in great views of the area.

Within the Stronghold Unit, the Stronghold Table, a 3-mile-long plateau, can be reached only by crossing a narrow land bridge just wide enough to let a wagon pass. It was here, just before the Massacre at Wounded Knee in 1890, that some 600 Sioux gathered to perform one of the last known Ghost Dances, a ritual in which the Sioux wore white shirts that they believed would protect them from bullets.

Open in summer, this small center serves almost exclusively serious hikers and campers venturing into the Stronghold or Palmer unit. If that's you, stop here for maps and details about road and trail conditions. The center is on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. While you're here you can see fossils and Lakota artifacts, and learn about Sioux culture.