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Jason Betzing
The brilliant colors of the Badlands National Park have a warm glow during the Golden Hours shortly after sunrise or before sunset.
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Jason Betzing
The brilliant colors of the Badlands National Park have a warm glow during the Golden Hours shortly after sunrise or before sunset.
Words by Jason Betzing
My excitement grew as we drove west on I-90 across South Dakota. Catching glimpses of the alien landscape from the highway only added to my intrigue. It was our third time across this lonely stretch and we finally had time to stop and explore Badlands National Park.
Today, this brutally beautiful scenery, once home to saber-toothed cats and three-toed horses, is very easy to navigate. A paved loop off I-90 winds 63 km (39 mi) through the park between the towns of Wall and Cactus Flat. You’ll see multi-coloured spires, pinnacles, and eroded buttes at the many pull-offs, vista points, and scenic overlooks. Although RVs will be fine navigating the twists and turns, a few of the scenic pull-offs lack large vehicle parking.
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Jason Betzing
Wall, SD is the perfect base to explore Badlands National Park. They have gas, groceries, dining and are near the Pinnacles entrance. The people are friendly and they have something no other place has, Wall Drug. It’s truly unique and not to be missed.
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Jason Betzing
Wall, SD is the perfect base to explore Badlands National Park. They have gas, groceries, dining and are near the Pinnacles entrance. The people are friendly and they have something no other place has, Wall Drug. It’s truly unique and not to be missed.
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Jason Betzing
Wall, SD is the perfect base to explore Badlands National Park. They have gas, groceries, dining and are near the Pinnacles entrance. The people are friendly and they have something no other place has, Wall Drug. It’s truly unique and not to be missed.
Day 1: Arrival in Wall
We decided that staying in the town of Wall was the perfect base. They have gas, groceries, dining and it’s near the Pinnacles Entrance to Badlands NP. Wall resembles the set of an old western movie. The people were friendly and they have something no other place has - Wall Drug, one of the world's most well-known tourist attractions. It's not to be missed and has something for everyone.
Jason Betzing
Female Bighorn sheep graze on the canyon rim, Sage Creek Rim Road winds along the edge in the distance.
Once set up, we went straight to the Pinnacles Entrance and were greeted by several bison peacefully grazing. Heading down Sage Creek Rim Road, we stopped at several overlooks and were rewarded with dynamic views and acrobatic bighorn sheep. Returning to Wall, we had dinner in town where one of the locals whispered the secret of Wall Drug's - the Caramel Pecan Roll (we'll come back to that).
Day 2: Into the Badlands
Jason Betzing
Badlands National Park is very easy to navigate via a paved loop drive off I-90 winds 39 miles through the park between the towns of Wall and Cactus Flat.
My excitement woke me before my alarm had the chance. With a mug of fresh coffee and camera gear in tow, I was out into the frosty, dark morning, well before dawn, to capture the sunrise at Panorama Point. I'd advise you to dress in layers. It was chilly and there was only one other photographer, who I made small talk with while setting up in the dark. The sunrise was well worth the small discomfort. The Badlands is a photographer’s playground with a ton of opportunities from wildlife to vast majestic landscapes as well as macro and floral photography.
Jason Betzing
One of the must see animals in the Badlands is the majestic Bison. We were lucky to see them quietly grazing near the Pinnacles entrance.
As the sun climbed slowly into the sky, I packed up and drove past the Ben Reifel Visitor Center to the main trailhead parking lot for some hiking. I set out on the 16 km (10 mi) Castle Trail. The stones crunched beneath my feet on the mostly flat trail. Under the warm sun, it felt good to stretch my legs and get some solitude with only scurrying lizards and birds breaking the silence. For the most scenic views, skip Castle Trail for the much shorter trails that are easily accessible right from Badlands Loop Road. Fossil Exhibit Trail, Window Trail, and Door Trail all provide amazing and diverse scenery and all easy and accessible. Cliff Shelf Trail is unique with a hike up into the junipers via boardwalks and stairs. For the more adventurous, Notch Trail is a tougher hike with a cool log ladder leading up to the notch. The reward is an endless view of the White River Valley below. If you can't hike, don't worry, the numerous pull-offs and scenic overlooks provide stunning, expansive views of the colorful formations for everyone.
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Jason Betzing
The acrobatic Bighorns of the Badlands are very agile are fun to watch as they navigate seemingly impossible terrain.
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Jason Betzing
The acrobatic Bighorns of the Badlands are very agile are fun to watch as they navigate seemingly impossible terrain.
Day 3: Around the Towns
The day began at 6 am. As I walked through the sleeping town I took advantage of the empty streets for some more photos. I half expected an outlaw at the other end of town to challenge me to a gunfight. However, there was no time for that, as I was on a quest to Wall Drug for the famous Caramel Pecan Rolls we heard about earlier. I was waiting outside when the heavy wooden doors opened promptly at 7 am. While the rest of the town slept in, I stepped inside to the wafting scents of cinnamon, freshly baked goods, and coffee. Now I know what heaven smells like. The fresh, sweet rolls were divine; warm, gooey perfection.
Jason Betzing
Minuteman Missile National Historic site at the I-90 exit for the Northeast Entrance and is worth a stop to learn about the “1,000 nuclear missiles hidden in plain sight.”
After breakfast, we explored the old west town. The main street stretches a few blocks with endless shops to explore and get your souvenir fix - there's something for everyone. If you're just stopping by, there is plenty of RV parking. While it was just the two of us, Wall makes a great family stop, as there's plenty for all ages.
It was still early so we headed east toward Kadoka. We stopped briefly at the Minuteman Missile Visitor's Center and learned about the 1,000 nuclear missiles "hidden in plain sight" at the height of the Cold War. Plan ahead for tours of the nuclear missile silo, (Delta-9) and the control center (Delta-1). Soon we were onward to Kadoka for a FREE Whisky Tasting and tour at Badlands Distillery.
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Jason Betzing
It’s fun to spend some time at Badlands Distillery in Kadoka, SD tasting a variety of small batch Whiskys.
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Jason Betzing
It’s fun to spend some time at Badlands Distillery in Kadoka, SD tasting a variety of small batch Whiskys.
Our tasting guide Justina was awesome and we came away with a few bottles. On the way to lunch, a giant prairie dog statue invited us to stop at Badlands Ranch Store where you can hand-feed peanuts to the always hungry prairie dogs. We had a blast, staying until our growling stomachs made it clear it was time to go. We decided on a late lunch at Cedar Pass Lodge inside the Badlands. After a delicious lunch of Indian tacos, we casually browsed the gift shop. This is where you'll find all of the Badlands National Park gear.
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Jason Betzing
We had a ton of fun feeding the resident colony of Prairie Dogs at the Badlands Ranch Store in Philip, SD near the Northeast Entrance to the National Park.
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Jason Betzing
We had a ton of fun feeding the resident colony of Prairie Dogs at the Badlands Ranch Store in Philip, SD near the Northeast Entrance to the National Park.
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Jason Betzing
We had a ton of fun feeding the resident colony of Prairie Dogs at the Badlands Ranch Store in Philip, SD near the Northeast Entrance to the National Park.
For most, Badlands National Park isn't on the "must see" list, but it should be. It may not be as popular as the Grand Canyon, but it is every bit as amazing. As we drove westward and the blip marking Wall on the navigation screen disappeared, thoughts of the diverse terrain, unique animals and warm locals begged me to come back for just one more day.
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Jason Betzing
Many of the trails are very scenic, well-maintained and easily accessible from Badlands Loop Road.
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Jason Betzing
Many of the trails are very scenic, well-maintained and easily accessible from Badlands Loop Road.
Do and See
- Explore the main street of Wall, SD and the famous Wall Drug
- Ben Reifel Visitor Center
- Cedar Pass Lodge
- Badlands Distillery, Free Whisky Tasting
- Badlands Ranch Store, feed the prairie dogs
- Minuteman Missile Visitor’s Center, book missile tours ahead for the best experience
- Helicopter tours
- Prairie Homestead
- National Grasslands Visitor Center
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Jason Betzing
The more strenuous, Notch Trail has you climbing a cedar log ladder and the reward is endless views of White River Valley
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Jason Betzing
The more strenuous, Notch Trail has you climbing a cedar log ladder and the reward is endless views of White River Valley
Stay
There are limited RV options available inside the National Park. Cedar Pass Campground is the only option for rigs over 18 ft long. Sites have water, some have electric, and there's a dump station on site. If your rig is under 18 ft, you could have a great camping experience at the Sage Creek Campground a dry camping spot where bison are known to wander through. There are numerous RV parks in surrounding towns of Interior, Wall, Kadoka, and Philip.
Boondocking “On the Wall”
For a truly unique dispersed camping spot, you can set up right on the rim of the Badlands. It's technically in the Buffalo Gap Grasslands. The road in can be rough and rutted so I recommend looking before taking your rig up. Also, be aware of the weather forecast, if it's wet, the road can be impassible and you may be stuck there until it dries out. The views are amazing and if it hadn’t been wet while we were there, we would have stayed.
More Info
Badlands National Park
https://www.nps.gov/badl/index.htm
Buffalo Gap Grasslands
https://www.blackhillsbadlands.com/parks-monuments/buffalo-gap-national-grassland
Wall, SD and Wall Drug
http://www.walldrug.com/about-us/city-of-wall
Minuteman Missile National Historical Site
https://www.nps.gov/mimi/index.htm
Jason Betzing and his wife sold it all to live their Full-Time RV dream. He retired at age 40 and decided winter was a drag and world travel is more fun than shoveling snow. He loves helping people through sharing authentic, first-hand experience. Follow him on Instagram @FullTimeFire, on Facebook @MilesTwoGo or his blog at MilesTwoGo.com