When to Visit

Badlands National Park's 380 square miles of wild terrain is open year-around. Most visitors travel to the park between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Rarely is the park too packed to visit due to its immense size. You may see a huge flock of motorcyclists in the Black Hills during the first week of August, which is when the famous biker rally is held in nearby Sturgis, S.D. Summer can be extraordinarily warm, with temperatures rising as high as 116 degrees Fahrenheit. Mid-afternoon thunderstorms are common, as well. That said, Autumn can be very pleasant, sunny, and warm for visiting. Winter brings unpredictable and often harsh weather conditions: winter temperatures in the Badlands can drop as low as 40 degrees below zero.