Our original plan was to camp in Badlands National Park. We highly underestimated the amount of awesome things we would see on the way, so we ended up only spending the day there. If you are ever in the area and want to camp, there are campground where you can pay a small fee but there is also a primitive campground that is free!
The entrance fee was $25, but it was very well worth it. You could spend days in this park and still not be able to take everything in.
In the park there are not many fenced off areas, so for the most part you can walk or hike where you please…but not without caution.
There were many beware of rattlesnake signs. Actually, after we saw one of these signs we pretty much instantly heard a rattling in the bushes. We didn’t investigate and kept on walking on the designated trail.
There were several areas like this that had easy to navigate pathways
We saw bison from a distance, but we also got to see some other wildlife a little closer.
When we started to see prairie dog mounds, I got excited. Then, I saw this sign.
Needless to say, this startled me a bit. As long as you follow these simple rules though, you should most likely not contract the plague.
The Badlands were overall quite amazing. Seeing these natural formations out there in the middle of South Dakota is something I can’t really put into words.
If you are a fan of National Parks, this is definitely a must see. There was no shortage of photo opportunities.
Have you visited the Badlands? What’s your favorite National Park?
–Haley
Nice park! I think I would be very scared of the Rattle Snacks!
It was definitely a little unnerving not knowing where they might be hiding!
very nice pictures. I think we should put this on our travel list for next year.
It is a place that I highly recommend visiting at least once! I’m sure you would enjoy it! 🙂
yes, looks like … and I like your reporting on it
Thanks so much! I appreciate that 🙂
you re welcome 🙂
Visited years back and reading through this post brought back so many memories.
Thanks for reading! It’s really an amazing place to visit!
Yes, visited twice.
https://dispersertracks.com/2012/01/31/my-first-trip-out-west-2002-the-badlands/
From our 2004 visit:
https://dispersertracks.com/2016/11/27/just-vegging/
I agree, there are unique photo opportunities in the park.
Wow thanks for sharing your links! You definitely got some amazing photos on your trips!
saw the Badlands in South Dakota some years ago but drove through the Badlands extension in North Dakota last year in Teddy Roosevelt National Park…lots of animals including prairie dogs.
It’s such an awesome place to visit! I really enjoyed seeing the large amounts of prairie dogs running around.
If you ever make it to Devil’s Tower in Wyoming, there is a huge prairie dog town.
Have enjoyed past trips there with the kids–back then carefree because they didn’t warn of rattlesnakes and plague! I’m sure at least the snakes were around. But it’s a wonderful place, as most of the National Parks are. Keep up your travels, and thanks for taking a look at my Arlington America blog!
Thanks for checking out my blog as well! I believe they didn’t discover the plague in the Badlands until around 2008, but luckily it is treatable with antibiotics!
Wow! One must be brave to be in the Badlands. Beautiful landscape.
Thanks for reading!
My pleasure 🙂
I visited the Badlands in May, but unfortunately we were not able to hike for time and health reasons. What amazed me was looking from afar and seeing a vast prairie, then suddenly there’s what seems like an unexpected drop off and there are the Badlands! I also loved the strips of color that ran through all the formations. Theodore Roosevelt Nat’l Park in ND was similar. Did you see the giant prairie dog statue at the exit from the park??
I know exactly what you mean about seeing the prairie then all of a sudden the Badlands! It was pretty amazing! I must have missed the prairie dog statue, I’ll have to keep my eye out for it next time!
In my younger days I toured the Badlands. Then later I got to revisit them, sort of, when I saw the movie “Dances with Wolves.” That was a really net place, pretty hot I would say, and the grass was just like it was in the movie. Maybe one day i will get to go back.
I have actually never seen that movie! Now I am definitely interested in watching it, thanks!
Why was it called Badlands? 😁😁😁 Just curious.
Ok, so I actually looked into this! I was curious, too. According to the NPS, The Lakota people were the first to call this place “mako sica” or “land bad.” Extreme temperatures, lack of water, and the exposed rugged terrain led to this name. In the early 1900’s, French-Canadian fur trappers called it “les mauvais terres pour traverse,” or “bad lands to travel through.” I thought that was interesting!
Oh, that’s why 😁😁😁 👍 Great
I got to visit the. Adlamds when I was in my mid 20’s in the 1970’s. I believe we could smell the buffalo but I could be wrong. And yes many years later when I was recovering from heart surgery I saw Dancing with Wolves and the tall grass and prairie was just as I had remembered it.
I love the Badlands! I solo camped there, and is very sparse. But I remember getting up in the middle of the night to see a silk shrouded moon, silhouetted buttes and absolute peace!
That sounds so amazing! I definitely hope to camp there one day.
Beautiful pictures. They remind me of our time there a few years ago
Thanks so much! It is a truly amazing place to visit.
I was amazed by the Badlands. During a trip cross-country, I imagined South Dakota would be bland and boring; was I ever totally wrong! It was very hot when I was there, May perhaps. We had to explore at dawn to beat the heat. On a ranger led hike we learned about the landscape and fossils from the area. It was very interesting, and a new fossil was discovered during the walk.
I would highly recommend a visit; just be sure you are prepared for the weather conditions for the season.
Lisa
Lovely photos
Thanks so much!
Great post, loved the clay pyramid. Here is a related factoid: Historically, plague was (and is) endemic to marmots (AKA woodchucks) in what is now Mongolia. A siege technique of the Mongolian Horde was to catapult plague victim corpses into a besieged city.
That is so interesting! I definitely didn’t know that, thanks for sharing!
splendid photographs. but plague and rattlesnakes…i don’t think so.
Thank you! You could always visit and enjoy the views from a car 🙂
just like “safari land” 🙂
haha yes exactly!! 🙂
Awesome landscapes, high on our bucket list! Did you visit Pine Ridge too?
Unfortunately not, but I’ll definitely have to look into that next time!
Love this post! I love the NPS and would have a very difficult time choosing my fave park. The Petrified Forest is very cool. Also, I love Bryce Canyon. Not been to Badlands, but it is on my list. Great photos you have there! Thank you for visiting my blog, I’m looking forward to reading more of your posts 🙂
Thanks so much! I haven’t had the chance to visit Bryce Canyon yet, but I would definitely love to! Thanks for your comment 🙂
Nothing tops the Grand Canyon with a close second by Bryce Canyon. The Badlands sound interesting too and I hope to see it one day, rattle snakes and all.
I definitely agree with you about the Grand Canyon. It was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen! I’ve not had the pleasure of visiting Bryce Canyon yet, but I hope to one day 🙂
Badlands was one of my favorite travel experiences. We were traveling across prairie and all of a sudden the road dropped and it was like we were on the moon. Thanks for the memories!
It is definitely a very unique place! Thanks for reading 🙂
Lovely post! I spent a few days in the Petrified Forest and each day was incredible. Decided to camp there and was so startled to see the sign stating that cases of Bubonic Plague were reported. No camping for me! But never regretted my days in the park.
We visited the Badlands for the first time just about a year ago. It was too amazing to put into words and our too-short visit was on a bright, bright, sunny day so the photographs really couldn’t do the place justice. The rattlesnake signs got our attention, too. Glad we didn’t encounter the plague sign! We definitely plan to return. (btw, thanks for stopping by my blog.) My post about this part of our big road trip is here: https://livingonthediagonal.com/2017/05/12/the-grand-road-trip-part-i/
Thanks so much for your comment! I agree, it was definitely an amazing place! 🙂
We visited the Badlands in 2000, when my children were 10 and 12. It was one of the last stops on an epic trip out west so I don’t think we fully appreciated it. We visited several National Parks on that trip. My favorites were Zion, Grand Tetons and Yellowstone. We ended up with a pet prairie dog for about 3 years – but not from that trip. Fun little creatures.
Those are all parks that I would really love to go to soon! I can’t believe you had a prairie dog! That’s so interesting 🙂