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Overview
Prairie, buttes, and one of the world's greatest treasure troves of fossils highlight the diversity of Badlands National Park.
Plan Around Overview
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Overview Details
Prairie, buttes, and one of the world's greatest treasure troves of fossils highlight the diversity of Badlands National Park, which occupies 244,000 acres of southwestern South Dakota, including 64,000 acres of backcountry wilderness. Bison still roam the mixed-grass prairie here, the largest undisturbed remnant of the Great Plains in the U.S. The easiest way to see Badlands is to drive the 36-mile length of state road 240, which loops through the park from its connection to I-90 and follows the 60-mile line of buttes known as the Badlands Wall. But while the landscape views from a car window are lovely, many of Badlands most impressive features are best seen up close, including its beds of mammalian fossils. The Ben Reifel Visitor Center offers a good overview of the park's ecology, human history, and paleontology and also is the hub for ranger-led programs. The 10-mile Castle Trail connects to several interesting loop trails, notably the Fossil Exhibit Trail. The park's Stronghold Unit is co-managed with the Oglala Lakota tribe and has a separate visitor's center (White River) off state highway 27. This rugged section of the park was the site of the Ghost Dances in the 1890s and is home to Red Shirt Table, the park's high point. More accessible is Sheep Mountain Table: the four-mile drive from the town of Scenic is rewarded by majestic views. Date Formed: November 10, 1978 Area: 242,755.94 acres [www.nps.gov/badl/](http://www.nps.gov/badl/)
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Nearby Parks Around Overview
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Nearby Points of Interest Around Overview
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Badlands National Park
Prairie, buttes, and one of the world's greatest treasure troves of fossils highlight the diversity of Badlands National Park.
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Paleontology Lab
From May until September, visitors can visit the Paleontology Lab at the Ben Reifel Visitor Center.
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Ben Reifel Visitor Center
At the park headquarters you'll find information, ranger talks and hikes, educational programming and activities.
0.2 mi away
Cedar Pass Lodge and Campground
Providing food, lodging and food service, the Cedar Pass Lodge is open from April until mid-October.
0.4 mi away
Cliff Shelf Nature Trail
The Cliff Shelf Nature Trail offers an opportunity for you to enjoy unique trailside flora and fauna in an unusually green section of the park.
