What a beautiful drive going through the Badlands. Unfortunately, we didn't stop much along the way, so I can't give any reviews on roadside stops. I just know that they sites were captivating!! It is absolutely amazing to see what beauty God has done to our land. Worth the drive!!
This was such a neat place to visit. The scenery is truly amazing, and so different than most of the beautiful state of South Dakota. It's aptly named. I will never forget the barreness, and unique formations. The trails may not be suitable for very young children, but older kids will really enjoy exploring this place just as I did.
I might have given it 5 stars if we had been at sunset as I hear it's much more beautiful then. But it added a lot of time to our drive and while it was pretty, it wasn't what we expected. No regrets, though, and would likely go again at a different time of day!
We stayed in Rapid City and driving to the Badlands took an hour and a half. So that's the bad part. Then when we got there it took about an hour to drive through it. It was a hot day so we didn't want to spend too much time outside hiking around, or it probably would have been more fun. It was beautiful and completely unique so definitely worth seeing. Just plan on a long day in the car...
Arrived here on a whim. Beautiful place, acessible as a scenic drive and has short boardwalks, as well as more adventurous stuff. Lights falling on mountains made for different views at different times of day (went mad with camera) but I did like the sunset and the early dawn best. Kids liked scrambling over some of the easy rocky bits and finding deer on the front lawn in the morning. We stayed in the only park accomodation (Cedar Pass) and were lucky to get the only cabin with a kitchenette (can live up to 6 adults, most utensils and plates, washing machine). There are towns with accomodation just outside the park but staying in allows the beautiful experience of waking up surrounded by coloured mountains.
Although it's hard to get there, no matter how you are traveling, it's great fun! Children's imaginations can run wild in this place that is almost like another planet! You can take your activity level to whatever you are comfortable with -- hiking or simply driving on the many scenic tours.
Such a wide variety to see and experience! As you drive the loop, there is so many varied sights to see, paths to walk, and things to explore! The visitor center is one of the best we have visited. The movie theater shows all the seasons in the park, and the hands on displays are fabulous. The Jr Ranger program is excellent, the fossils are amazing, and when you walk outside you almost feel as if you have left the planet! We visited in September, and even though it rained in the afternoon, it was still quite hot. I imagine visiting during the summer would require plenty of sunscreen, water, wide-brimmed hats, and shady resting spots.