The Badlands are a treasure trove of sites for the outdoor and wildlife enthusiast. Formations of red and beige rock seem to thrust out of the Earth, creating this otherwordly landscape. As if the landscape weren’t interesting enough on its own, Badlands also has an abundance of wildlife (prairie dogs, bison, antelope and more), top notch birdwatching, and some of the darkest sky in the country. It’s truly too me by surprise as one of the most enchanting places I have been.

How Long Should I Stay

To really do the park justice, you should spend at least one night, as the night sky and sunsets/rises are unmatched. For the regular traveler, two nights will be more than enough, which is a perfect amount of time to experience both campgrounds within the park. If you’re just passing through, its worth spending even half a day hitting the most significant sites!

Where to Camp

I highly recommend camping in the Badlands to fully experience its magic. You’ll be treated to amazing sunsets like the photo above and a sky full of stars. Camping in the Badlands was the first time I saw the milky way with my naked eye!

There is one main road through Badlands National Park – highway 240. You’ll probably want to keep this in mind when planning your trip to minimize backtracking.

Cedar Pass Campground

Cedar Pass Campground is at the east entrance of the park, and conveniently located to most of the iconic rock formations. This campground is very well run and full of amenities – water spigots, flush toilets, dish washing stations, coin operated showers and more.

Each site has a picnic table with a built in shade structure, pictured here.

You’ll want to stay at this campground the night before (if heading west) or after (if heading east) visiting the majority of the rock formations and fossil walks.

This campground is perfectly situated for some amazing sunrise and sunset viewing. I recommend both the Notch/Window Trailheads and Cliff Shelf Trail. Both are just a ~5-10 min drive from the campground towards the east entrance.

Sage Creek Campground

What to Do During the Day

Highway 240 is lined with places to pull off and take short strolls to see points of interest, and you should stop as much as you like! Below are some places I particularly recommend, ordered from east to west.

Note: Badlands National Park has an ‘Open Hike’ policy, allowing visitors to hike off-trail and on social trails. This is very unique and you should absolutely take advantage of it while remaining cognizant of Leave No Trace protocol.

Notch Trail

AllTrails link | A 1.2 mile out-and-back hike through the Badland’s mars-like rock formations. If you do one hike while visiting, this is the one to do!

Fossil Exhibit Trail

AllTrails link | A short boardwalk trail with info placards showing fossils and animals that used to live in the area. For the nature nerds (like me.)

Best Roadside View Points

• Panorama Point
• Yellow Mounds Overlook
• Pinnacles Overlook

Robert’s Prairie Dog Town

You’ll likely have no issue spotting prairie dogs as they pop out from their holes and survey the scene. But if you’ve made it this far without a sighting, stop by Robert’s Prairie Dog Town!

Where to Watch the Sunrise & Sunset over the Badlands

Here are my recommendations for where to watch the sunrise and sunset. It is such a unique experience watching the sun come up from behind the buttes and spires of the Badlands, worth every second of lost sleep.

If staying at Cedar Pass Campground you’re in close proximity to both the Notch/Window Trailheads and Cliff Shelf Trail. Both require just a short walk from the parking area to get stunning views as the sun slinks or rises behind the earth. Sunrise from the Notch/Window Trailhead is particularly stunning, as the rocks create a perfect frame for viewing.

Its hard to go wrong, but my other recommendations would be the viewpoints mentioned above: Panorama Point, Yellow Mounds, and Pinnacles Overlook.

My Two Night Itinerary