Badlands National Park can be found in the southwestern corner of South Dakota. This national park contains 244,000 acres of stunning topography and is combined with a vast area of prairie. This park was originally created to be the Badlands National Monument in 1939. In 1978 it was changed to a national park.
Badlands National Park contains a very large grass prairie. The Badlands prairie is comprised of over 56 different varieties of prairie grasses. Some of the grasses flourish during cooler weather and other grasses flourish during the heat of the summer. The majority of the prairie grasses that grow in Badlands National Park are native grasses that have grown in this area for many years.
Badlands National Park also contains geological formations that are both colorful and beautiful. The formations are a result of the Rocky Mountains forming and spreading their volcanic sediments over the neighboring prairie regions. There are many interesting and unique rock shapes that add unique beauty to the scenic landscape of the park.
There are areas that allow camping at Badlands National Park. The Sage Creek Campground has free campsites that are provided to campers without reservations necessary. Visitors who are backpacking within the park boundaries are allowed to camp in any spots that are a minimum of a half-mile away from roads or trails. Camping is recommended during the spring or fall when temperatures are not extremely hot. Camp fires are never allowed anywhere within the park boundaries.
There is a lodge located within the park boundaries that serves food. It has public restrooms, telephones and a gift shop. Cabins can be rented between April and October.
The Castle Trail is a ten-mile loop trail and is the longest hiking trail in Badlands National Park. This trail is generally a level trail, walks along some of the geological formations, and it is possible to encounter wildlife while hiking on this trail. There are six other hiking trails. Some are suitable for novice hikers and others involve varying degrees of hiking experience and stamina.
Biking is permissible on paved, dirt and gravel roads only. No off-road biking is allowed. It is recommended that bikers be very careful while biking on the roads within the park boundaries because there are no bike lanes.
