A recently returned from a trip to South Dakota.
I spent 6 days in South Dakota, 3 in the Badlands and 3 in the Black Hills. We will look here at the Badlands.
Badlands National Park
Map of the park
Entrance Fee: $15
Camping: Available at Cedar Pass. There is a lodge and camping sites available.
Primitive Camping: Sage Creek. Or anywhere in the park as long as 1/2 mile (I think) from the road or trail. Open camping is available in the Buffalo Gap Grasslands.
I arrived in the Badlands National Park in the late afternoon and went to the Ben Reifel Visitor Center to check in and get information. I drove to the Cliff Shelf pullout, where a short trail winds through the vegetation, providing excellent views of the lower plains.
I then headed toward Sage Creek via the Badlands Loop Road.
Along the road, I stopped at all the pull outs and saw big horn sheep, deer, buffalo, prairie dogs, and antelope. To see the buffalo, you must drive down the dirt Sage Creek Rim Road. It is a good road for most cars in fair weather. The roads also grows through the formations and provides lots of information on the formation and history of the land.
View at Yellow Mounds pull out. The yellow was caused by plants when this area was a jungle.
Sage Creek campground is a decent place with tables at each of the campsites. They were full when I got there, so I hiked into the backcountry a little ways and set up camp.
The next day, I drove back across the park to the Castle Trail. Castle Trail is a short 5 mile trail that runs from the Fossil Exhibit trail to the Door and Window Parking lot. I turned it into a 10 mile out-and-back with a side loop on the Medicine Root trail. I hiked from the east, so the morning sun was behind me. The trail is a easy trail to hike with plenty of signs to mark the path. You get to climb over some of the formations and is not heavily traveled. It is the longest trail in the park.
A few pics from along the trail.
If hiking the Castle Trail, I recommend hiking from the Door/Window parking lot to the Fossil Trail. Hike the Fossil trail and return via the Medicine Root Trail.
That night I stayed in the Buffalo Gap Grasslands by a lake off of Conata Road. I took my mountain bike and spent the afternoon exploring the grasslands. Be sure to consult a map so you do not end up on private property.
Recommendations
If going to the Badlands, I recommend driving the park roads and stopping at the overlooks. Conata has a day area that seemed off the beaten path and was by the "pig dig" site, an active dig site you can tour. Also, I recommend hiking some of the trails. The formations are much more impressive when you get out of the car and climb on them. If you are with children, they will enjoy the Door and Window trails and they get to play all over the formations. The park maintains an open hiking policy, meaning you can hike anywhere. The Cliff Shelf trail is also a nice short trail to stretch your legs and let the kids run around.
More pictures from the Badlands
I spent 6 days in South Dakota, 3 in the Badlands and 3 in the Black Hills. We will look here at the Badlands.
Badlands National Park
Map of the park
Entrance Fee: $15
Camping: Available at Cedar Pass. There is a lodge and camping sites available.
Primitive Camping: Sage Creek. Or anywhere in the park as long as 1/2 mile (I think) from the road or trail. Open camping is available in the Buffalo Gap Grasslands.
I arrived in the Badlands National Park in the late afternoon and went to the Ben Reifel Visitor Center to check in and get information. I drove to the Cliff Shelf pullout, where a short trail winds through the vegetation, providing excellent views of the lower plains.
I then headed toward Sage Creek via the Badlands Loop Road.
Along the road, I stopped at all the pull outs and saw big horn sheep, deer, buffalo, prairie dogs, and antelope. To see the buffalo, you must drive down the dirt Sage Creek Rim Road. It is a good road for most cars in fair weather. The roads also grows through the formations and provides lots of information on the formation and history of the land.
View at Yellow Mounds pull out. The yellow was caused by plants when this area was a jungle.
Sage Creek campground is a decent place with tables at each of the campsites. They were full when I got there, so I hiked into the backcountry a little ways and set up camp.
The next day, I drove back across the park to the Castle Trail. Castle Trail is a short 5 mile trail that runs from the Fossil Exhibit trail to the Door and Window Parking lot. I turned it into a 10 mile out-and-back with a side loop on the Medicine Root trail. I hiked from the east, so the morning sun was behind me. The trail is a easy trail to hike with plenty of signs to mark the path. You get to climb over some of the formations and is not heavily traveled. It is the longest trail in the park.
A few pics from along the trail.
If hiking the Castle Trail, I recommend hiking from the Door/Window parking lot to the Fossil Trail. Hike the Fossil trail and return via the Medicine Root Trail.
That night I stayed in the Buffalo Gap Grasslands by a lake off of Conata Road. I took my mountain bike and spent the afternoon exploring the grasslands. Be sure to consult a map so you do not end up on private property.
Recommendations
If going to the Badlands, I recommend driving the park roads and stopping at the overlooks. Conata has a day area that seemed off the beaten path and was by the "pig dig" site, an active dig site you can tour. Also, I recommend hiking some of the trails. The formations are much more impressive when you get out of the car and climb on them. If you are with children, they will enjoy the Door and Window trails and they get to play all over the formations. The park maintains an open hiking policy, meaning you can hike anywhere. The Cliff Shelf trail is also a nice short trail to stretch your legs and let the kids run around.
More pictures from the Badlands