Badlands National Park in South Dakota contains the world's richest Oligocene epoch fossil beds, dating back 23 to 35 million years. Scientists can study the evolution of mammals such as the horse, sheep, rhinoceros, and pig in the formations found in Badlands.

Travelers come to the Badlands for a great many reasons. Some are lured by the Park's magnificent rock formations. Others come to camp, photograph wildlife, or search for birds or flowers. More than a few are professional or amateur paleontologist who come to study the fossil remains of the Badlands' ancient life.

• See Badlands National Park News Releases for current information.

• Private, Non-commercial Vehicle: $15.00 (Valid for 7 days)
• Individual (hike, bicycle): $7.00 (Valid for 7 days)
• Motorcycle: $10.00 (Valid for 7 days)
• See Badlands National Park Fees page.

• Ben Reifel Visitor Center: Open year-round, daily, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. There are extended hours in the Summer. Closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and January 1st.
• White River Visitor Center: Open early June through late August, daily, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

• Westbound travelers to the Park on I-90 should use exit 131. South Dakota 240, which leads to the Park boundary and the Ben Reifel Visitor Center, is also the Badlands Loop Road. After passing through the Park, South Dakota 240 connects with I-90 at exit 110 in Wall.
• Travelers going east should do the reverse: begin in Wall and exits at I-90 at exit 131.
• Get directions from Google Maps.
• Get directions from MapQuest.
• NPS Directions.

• Be aware that the weather in the Park can be severe and can go from one extreme to another in a short period of time. Dress appropriately, drive with extra caution during stormy or icy conditions, and seek shelter from the thunderstorms, hailstorms, and occasional tornadoes that sometimes descend on the Badlands with sudden fury.
• NOAA Weather Radio: 162.450 MHz
• See area weather chart.
• See Canyon Country Weather for more information.
• WebCam: View from Visitor Center.
• Sunrise/Sunset

• Pets are allowed anywhere in the Park except in the Visitor Centers, prairie dog towns, and the Badlands Wilderness Area, however, they must be kept on a leash or kept under physical restraint at all times.
• See National Park Service Restrictions and Regulations.
• See American Antiquities Act of 1906.
• See Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979.
• See Pets in the Parks and Backcountry.
• See Encountering Wild Animals.

• Never approach a bison closely. They can run faster than 30 miles per hour.
• Prairie rattlesnakes, spiders, and stinging insects live within the Park, and proper care should be taken to avoid an unpleasant encounter.
• Badlands rock is soft and rock falls are common. Admire the formations at a distance, rather than climbing on them. Seemingly indestructible, these buttes are actually quite fragile.
• See Backcountry Considerations.
• See Backcountry Emergencies.
• NPS News Updates.