This post is a part of my Black Hills Road Trip Series 

Many people choose to visit South Dakota to see Mount Rushmore, but there is so much more to the state than just seeing the men in the mountain!

One of my favorite “alternate activities” was a nearby geological wonder. The reasons to visit Badlands National Park are boundless, but I’ve narrowed it down to my top ten.

10 Reasons To Visit Badlands National Park South Dakota

Scolding the lands for being so bad.

See also:

• Bad Puns Alert: 5 Bad Things To Do in the Badlands
• So Now What? 7 Things To Do Near Mount Rushmore

Its Convenient Location

Badlands National Park is a quick one hour drive from “Mount Rushmore hub” Rapid City, South Dakota and only 84 miles from the memorial itself, making it a viable and accessible option for tourists looking for other interesting things to do while visiting South Dakota.

It makes a perfect day trip from Rapid City, or pit stop on your way back east if you drove to see Mount Rushmore.

See also:

• Belle Fourche South Dakota: The Geographic Center of the United States
• The Legend of Devils Tower: America’s First National Monument

The Cute Prairie Dogs

See also:

• 10 Reasons to Visit Reptile Gardens South Dakota (Even if Snakes Scare You)
• 9 Reasons To Visit Mount Rushmore: A Snapshot of America

Y’all. Never in my life have I seen such adorable, chunky, and chatty prairie dogs as I did during my trip. They are reason enough to visit Badlands National Park.

Since I visited at the beginning of Spring, the little guys were just awakening from their winter stupor and were having a little bit of trouble navigating the entrances to their tunnels as they hadn’t quite started working on their summer bods yet.

It was very entertaining to see…like watching a tube of Pillsbury dough explode.

The Badlands Hiking Trails

See also:

• Jewel Cave National Monument: Is It Worth a Visit?
• Cold War History: Visiting the Minuteman Missile Site in South Dakota

Perhaps the number one reason most people want to visit Badlands National Park is the hiking trails. There are steep, rugged trails. Flat, accessible trails. Long trails. Short trails. Easy trails. Hard trails. All kinds of ’em!

I’m not an expert hiker and definitly prefer moseying along a scenic byway as opposed to breaking a sweat, so I appreciated the variety of trails available.

The Breathtaking Views

See also:

• Spring Break: the Best Time To Visit Mount Rushmore
• Paleontology and Presidents: Things To Do in Rapid City South Dakota

This reason goes along with hiking because as I attempted a trail that was harder than I thought it would be, I found myself needing to stop and “admire the views” quite often, if you know what I mean.

I’m still not sure if I couldn’t breathe because of how beautiful the Badlands looked glowing in the afternoon sun, or if because I was (and still am) very out of shape.

Be sure to build enough time into your visit to take a moment to appreciate the beauty of the Badlands!

The Movie Moments

See also:

• Mount Rushmore Movie Scene: Films Made in South Dakota
• 10 Things To Do at Mount Rushmore: Ways To Make the Most of Your Visit
• Crazy Horse Memorial South Dakota: History in Construction since 1948

Did you know that Badlands National Park was the Dances with Wolves filming location? The 1992 film Thunderheart was also partially filmed inside the park.

This is one of my favorite reasons to visit Badlands National Park. It’s such a cinematic place, as soon as you arrive you’ll understand why Hollywood couldn’t stay away.

I also love seeing where movies were filmed, as it’s kind of like meeting a celebrity in its own way, so make sure to watch both of the films before visiting!

The Wide Open Spaces

Big, blue South Dakota sky. Miles and miles of prairie land, stretching as far as you can see.

I think sometimes it’s easy to get wrapped up in ourselves. Whether we spend all of our time worrying about inconsequential things or acquiring a false sense of importance, a visit to the Badlands is almost spiritual in that it can instantly dispel both of these feelings.

Its wide open spaces remind you how small you are, but just like the insect buzzing from flower to flower, the deer drinking from the stream, or the mighty stone rising from the earth, you have a purpose and you have a place.

The Native American History

The Badlands and surrounding areas have been sacred to many Native American tribes for thousands of years. For nearly 11,000 years, the area was home to paleo-Indians, the Arikara, and more recently, the Lakota and the Sioux. The hunting near the Badlands was particularly good and the rock formations offered natural fortifications and vantage points.

However, as a young United States pushed west, the Native Tribes were violently pushed off the land they called home and often forced into reservations. The conflict between American Homesteaders and the Plains Tribes cumulated in the Wounded Knee Massacre, a shameless slaughtering of the Native people about 45 miles from the park.

A visit to the Badlands can help expand understanding of a terrible event often omitted, or barely mentioned, in formal eduction.

The Unique Vegetation and Wildlife

Called “the Badlands” by Native peoples because of the area’s harsh terrain and weather conditions, the lands within the park still support a plethora of life. There are prairie dogs, rabbits, deer, sheep, bison, and even coyotes out all the prowl. Although thankfully I didn’t come across any during my visit.

Make it a game and see how many you can spot during your time there!

The Geology

I only took one geology class in college, but it was enough to get me hooked! I love rocks. They rock.

The rock formations in the Badlands are like nothing I’ve ever seen before. The subtle tans, reds, and browns of each stone are so lovely they look painted and the varied jagged peaks of each mountain are thrown together with such clumsy perfection you’d think they were created simply to be photographed.

I imagine there are more specific and science-y components of the Badlands to be explored, but it’s all still pretty cool, even to my untrained eyes.

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Emily Kammerlohr

Emily’s all over the place. She’s an expert on working holidays, studying abroad, and turning your #GapYear into a #GapLife. Learn how here.