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Badlands National Park is often visited by families on a vacation to see the American West, but few opt to stay overnight here, especially when there's a profusion of accommodations in the Black Hills, situated a mere 50 miles east. As a result, there are few lodging options in and around the park, and if you're determined to bed down within park boundaries, you have only one choice: Cedar Pass Lodge. Though rustic, it's comfortable, inexpensive, and has new cabins.
The rustic-but-comfy formula is repeated by the area's few motels, hotels, and inns. Most are chain hotels in Wall, grouped around the interstate. Whether you stay inside or outside the park, you shouldn't have to worry about making reservations very far in advance, except during the first full week of August, when the entire region is inundated with more than half a million motorcyclists for the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Rooms for miles around book up more than a year in advance.
Besides impressive views of the Badlands, these cabins include modern touches like flat-screen TVs and Wi-Fi connections. A 1,000-square-foot cabin also is available for larger groups. A gallery displays the work of local artists, and a gift shop is well-stocked with local crafts, including turquoise and beadwork.
