The Sioux Indians named it “mako sica” or “land bad.” The early French-Canadian trappers called it “les mauvaises torres a traverser” or “bad land to travel across.”

Today couples from around the world call the Badlands a great vacation destination.

This year-around park boasts some of the most spectacular geological formations outside the Grand Canyon. Purple, yellow, gray, tan, red, orange and white layers hint at the varied sedimentary layers that make up this quickly eroding land. (Its one-inch annual erosion is one of the highest rates known.)

Prairie dogs, badgers, deer, fox, antelope, bighorn sheep and coyotes share the park with over 400 bison which graze among 50 kinds of grasses and 200 varieties of wildflowers that thrive here. Wildlife can usually be seen during the early morning and late evening hours, also the best times for photographing the brilliant hues.

Unlike many national parks, this one is generally not crowded, and visitors can drive the winding roads without traffic, imaging what the journey was like for the first settlers who crossed the area with no drinkable water and no firewood. Today’s travelers have a much easier journey, with paved roads, full service campgrounds, and the Cedar Pass Lodge, with dining, air conditioned cabins, and a gift shop featuring locally made items. The lodge is located near the Cedar Pass Visitor Center, which features displays of prehistoric bones found in the park. Sabre-toothed cats, miniature camels and horses, and even a rhinoceros-like mammal called the titanotheres once roamed this land, and exhibits of many of these early residents are on display at the center.

Are We There Yet?

Although the Badlands geological region extends up through South Dakota and into North Dakota and even southern Canada, most visitors experience this rugged land in the Badlands National Park, located 51 miles east of Rapid City on I-90. From the Wall Drug Store exit, head south on SD 240 , the Badlands Loop Road. This 32-mile loop takes travelers on a scenic tour past rainbow colored ridges and steep canyons formed by centuries of erosion.

What’s There To Do Here?

Badlands isn’t the spectacular kind of Western park like Yellowstone or Grand Canyon; its beauty takes a more careful look and appreciation. The best way to get an appreciation for its delicate ecology is with a visit to one of the Visitors Centers. The largest is the Ben Reifel Visitor Center at Cedar Pass, where you’ll find films on the park as well as exhibits. During the summer months, a second visitor’s center, the White River Visitor Center, is open in the Stronghold District area of the park.

Once you’ve learned more about the park, a good way to see it is on the 30-mile Loop Drive. (There’s also the 30-mile Sage Creek Road but it is gravel.) If the day’s not too hot, you can take a hike on one of five trails.

An interesting stop is the Prairie Homestead Historic Site, located on the east entrance to the park (exit 131). This sod house was home to some of the area’s early settlers and today it’s the only sod house on public display in the state. Look for prairie dogs when you visit!

The best (and most romantic) view of the park is from the air and Badlands Helicopter Rides makes it possible to see the whole park. You can pick from four tour lengths. Rides run from mid-May through the end of September. To reach the heliport, take Exit 131 off I-90 to the park; call 605/433-5322 for information.

When Are We Going?

The summer months are the park’s busiest, but even then you won’t find huge crowds. This park gets about 1.3 million visitors a year.

A summer visit here is generally hot. If you come in the winter, expect lots of snow and possibly wind.

How Long Are We Staying?

Most couples stay about half a day, enough time to check out the visitors centers, explore some of the trails, and have a look at this unique geology.

What Should I Bring?

Sunscreen, sunglasses, hats, water, and cool clothes are requirements for summer visits, and warm clothes and windbreakers for late fall and winter.

What Are We Doing Next?

Mt. Rushmore National Monument and Jewel Cave National Park are top attractions in this area.

The number one attraction near Badlands is Wall Drug. Wall Drug is to drug stores what Bloomingdale’s is to department stores. Travelers from around the world come to this massive store on the edge of the Badlands National Park to shop, dine, and just soak up the off-beat Western atmosphere.

Where's Our Room?

Most couples come to the Badlands as day trippers, arriving from the Black Hills area. If you want to extend your stay, however, you will find lodging in the area. For accommodations in the Rapid City area, see the Mt. Rushmore section.

In the park, lodging is available at Cedar Pass Lodge, Tel. 605/433-4560, from mid-April through mid-October.

Cedar Pass is also home to a campground. Accommodations are also available in nearby Wall, Tel. 888/292-WALL; Kadoka, Tel. 800/467-9217; and Interior, PO Box 3, Interior, SD 57750.

Practical Information

Address: Badlands National Park, PO Box 6, Interior, SD 57750
Operating Season: year round
Website: http://www.nps.gov/badl/