How to Spend One Day in Badlands National Park (Itineraries plus tips and more!)
If you’re planning on having just one day in Badlands National Park, then this guide is for you. We’ll share all the top spots in Badlands National Park that you can hit in just one day, and give you the perfect one day Badlands itinerary to help you plan your time!
Badlands National Park is a must-see destination in South Dakota, with insanely scenic drives, fun hiking options, and beautiful views that make you feel like you’ve landed on the moon.
Many people include Badlands National Park as part of a larger South Dakota road trip itinerary, hitting other places like Custer State Park and Mount Rushmore. Because of this, people often don’t have a whole ton of time to devote to Badlands National Park.
But the good news? You don’t need much time to explore this park! Many people wonder, can you see Badlands National Park with just one day? We’re happy to tell you that, yes- you absolutely can! With just one day in Badlands National Park, you can easily hit all the highlights, explore a few hiking trails, and check out some nearby attractions.
In this guide, we’ll give you some options for a one day itinerary in Badlands National Park. This itinerary will make sure you hit all the best spots in the Badlands, giving you our best tips and advice along the way!
And don’t worry, if you don’t quite have one full day in the park, we’ll share what you can cut out of this itinerary so you still get to see the highlights with less time!
Let’s get right to it!
In this one day Badlands National Park itinerary guide:
Places to Go in Badlands National Park
There are two main units to Badlands National Park.
A map of Badlands National Park from the park brochure showing both the North and South Units
The North Unit is where most people spend their time and where many of the top things to do in Badlands National Park are found. With limited time, I would recommend spending your one day in Badlands National Park here, which is what this one day Badlands itinerary focuses on. It is a very accessible area located just 15 minutes from Wall, SD, and just minutes off of I-90.
The South Unit has two regions, the Stronghold and Palmer Creek areas. These are managed by the park service in conjunction with the Oglala Lakota tribe. These regions are more remote with less things to do unless you are looking to venture into the backcountry of the Badlands. If you have more than one day in Badlands National Park, though, it could be a good add-on to your itinerary (we’ll talk more about this below if you’re interested!).
Top Things to Do in Badlands National Park
Before we share a one day Badlands itinerary, it’s helpful to know what there is to see and do in the park!
We have a whole separate Badlands National Park guide where we cover all our favorite things to do in the Badlands in more detail. Check it out:
Here, we give just a brief overview of some of the top things to do in the Badlands that will be featured in our itinerary for one day in Badlands National Park!
Drive Badlands Loop Road
Driving Badlands Loop Road is a must-do on any Badlands itinerary
In our opinion, this is the best thing to do in the Badlands. The Loop Road is the main road through the North Unit of the Badlands, stretching 28 miles between the Pinnacles entrance station and the Northeast entrance station. Along this road are 12 overlooks and all the trailheads in the North Unit. But even if you never get out of your car, the views you will be treated to by just driving this road are out of this world. Driving the entirety of this road is definitely a must-do on any Badlands National Park itinerary!
Go hiking in the Badlands
Try to fit at least one hike in during your one day in Badlands National Park!
If you want to more fully immerse yourself in this wild landscape, then hiking in the Badlands is the way to do it! There are a handful of hikes in Badlands National Park, most of which are fairly easy, but will give you outstanding views and lots of opportunity for exploring. With one day in Badlands National Park, you can actually squeeze in quite a few of these hikes!
Spot wildlife in the Badlands
A highlight for many people when visiting Badlands National Park is to spot wildlife along the road and trails! Commonly sighted animals include pronghorn, bison and bighorn sheep. In our Badlands guide, we go over all the best places to spot wildlife in the Badlands, and hopefully you should be able to see some on this one day Badlands itinerary.
Catch sunrise and sunset in the Badlands
Seeing the glow off the badlands is a perfect way to start or end a day in the Badlands!
While the Badlands are cool to see any time of day, there’s just something about being in Badlands National Park at sunrise or sunset. The glow of sunlight during golden hour really adds a whole other level to the landscape. If you’re in the Badlands for one day, make sure to put seeing either sunrise or sunset on your itinerary.
Visit the Fossil Prep Lab
Badlands National Park, other than being just beautiful to look at, actually holds a lot of natural history as one of the richest fossil beds in the world! At the visitor center, there is actually a working paleontology lab where you can see scientists prepping fossils, ask questions, and see various fossils on display. It’s a great stop to make as you drive through the park.
See the night sky
Checking out the night sky is a must-do in Badlands National Park! Given its remote location and low light pollution, that dark skies here can be incredible. If you’ve never seen the milky way before, be sure to add this to your one day Badlands itinerary.
One Day Badlands National Park Itinerary
Now that we’ve briefly gone over the must-dos in the Badlands, it’s time to string them together into a perfect one day Badlands National Park itinerary.
While it seems like a lot to squeeze in, you can definitely see the highlights of Badlands National Park in just one day. We spent just a single day in the Badlands and thought that it was the perfect amount of time to see and do everything we wanted!
In these suggested itineraries, you will hit all the best spots in the Badlands and all the must-dos on any first visit to Badlands National Park.
Starting point for this Badlands National Park itinerary
The closest town to stay in near the Badlands is Wall. From here, you’ll be about 15 minutes from the Pinnacles entrance (on the west side) and about 25 minutes from the Northeast entrance (on the east side). Badlands Loop Road connects these two entrances. This is the road you’ll be focusing all your time on. You can start driving Badlands Loop Road from either entrance…it really doesn’t matter! In this guide, we will give you one day Badlands itinerary options going in either direction to help you decide how you want to plan your day.
You can also stay inside Badlands National Park. The one lodging option is the Cedar Pass Lodge near the Visitor Center. Since this is on the east side of Badlands Loop Road, it would be easiest to follow the one day Badlands itinerary from east to west.
If you’re camping inside the park, there are two options.
The Cedar Pass campground is a large reservation-only campground near the visitor center so again, following the east to west Badlands itinerary would make the most sense.
The Sage Creek Campground is located off Sage Creek Rim Road on the west side of the park (closest to the Pinnacles entrance), so following the west to east route might be best.
One day Badlands National Park itinerary: East to West route
Your one day in the Badlands on this itinerary will start at the Northeast park entrance and have you drive the entirety of Badlands Loop Road to the Pinnacles entrance station. This is a popular direction to drive Badlands Loop Road because the first overlook, Big Badlands Overlook, is a popular place to watch sunrise. Plus, this side of the road has trailheads for most of the hikes in Badlands National Park, so starting your Badlands National Park itinerary on this side of the road will allow you to get to these hikes early before both crowds and heat descend onto the park.
BADLANDS NATIONAL PARK ITINERARY MAP
Sunrise at Badlands National Park
We know not everyone is an early bird, but if you’re up for it, we recommend starting off your Badlands itinerary by catching sunrise in Badlands National Park!
If you are driving east to west along Badlands Loop Road, this is convenient because the very first overlook, Big Badlands Overlook, is shortly after the entrance.
We weren’t here at sunrise (at it was pretty stormy!), but if you’re driving east to west, the Big Badlands Overlook is a great place to start your Badlands one day itinerary
Depending on what time of year you visit Badlands National Park, sunrise can be as early as 5 am, or as late as 7:30 am! Be sure to check sunrise (and sunset) times.
After watching the sunrise, have some breakfast, either at the overlook if you packed a picnic breakfast, or you can head back to camp/your lodging. This would require some back tracking for the day, especially if you stayed in Wall, but if you camped in the park at Cedar Pass, it wouldn’t be much.
Notch, Door, and Window Trailhead
Next up for your one day in Badlands National Park…it’s time to hit the trails! Just a short distance down the road from Big Badlands Overlook is the trailhead for three short Badlands hikes.
The Notch Trail is a 1.4 mile out and back hike that is super fun, and our favorite hike in the Badlands! What makes it really fun are the challenging elements along the trail, including an approximately 20 foot or so log ladder that you must climb to get to the top of a headwall and continue on with the hike. It’s not for everyone, but if the ladder doesn’t phase you, this is a must-do hike in the Badlands.
The log ladder on the Notch Trail in the Badlands
Walking among the badlands on the Notch Trail - a perfect add on to a one day Badlands itinerary!
From the same parking lot, you can hike the Window and Door Trails.
The Window Trail is an easy and flat 0.3 mile walk to an overlook of the badlands. Of the three trails here, this was our least favorite, but it can be done so quickly, so why not just tack it on?
Exploring the badlands along the Window Trail in Badlands National Park
The Door Trail was our second favorite trail in Badlands National Park, after the Notch Trail. The first part is a half mile round trip hike along a flat boardwalk to a beautiful overlook of the Badlands. However, you can venture beyond this overlook to explore the badland features as you please. To us, this is the place in the park where we felt most like we were on another planet! The features here are super cool looking and it’s fun to explore a bit. Just watch your step and keep the boardwalk in sight so you don’t venture off too far.
The Door Trail was definitely one of the most epic places we visited during our one day in Badlands National Park!
If you choose to do all three of these hikes, this should take you about 2 to 2.5 hours to complete ( 1 to 1.5 hours being dedicated to the Notch Trail).
Best Hikes in Badlands National Park: The Ultimate Guide
At this point, if you still have the energy, the Castle Trailhead is right across the street from this parking lot. The Castle Trail is a 5 mile point to point trail that weaves its way along the badlands on a relatively flat trail. It also connects to two other trails along the way (the Medicine Loop Root and the Saddle Pass Trail), so you can really make this hike pretty long (10 miles or more!). With only one day in the Badlands, you probably won’t have time to do the whole thing, but you can simply walk the Castle Trail as far as you like into the badlands and turn around. This is what we did…we didn’t get very far because a thunderstorm was looming in the distance and we didn’t want to get caught in it!
Visitor Center and Fossil Prep Lab
Stopping at the Fossil Prep Lab should be on any Badlands National Park itinerary. It gives you a better idea of what makes this park so special and important, but also, it’s just pretty darn cool! It’s open the second week of June through the third week of September from 9am to 4:30 pm. Also be sure to check out the exhibits and information at the visitor center while you’re here.
Some of the fossils you can check out at the Fossil Prep Lab!
Fossil Exhibit Trail
The Fossil Exhibit Trail is a quick and easy, and unique, stop to add onto a one day Badlands itinerary
The next stop on your one day Badlands itinerary is a great compliment to the Fossil Prep Lab. It’s a quarter mile boardwalk trail that goes by fossil replicas and interpretive signs where you can learn about the creatures that once roamed through the park!
Badlands Loop Road
At this point, you will be about a quarter of the way down the scenic drive. For the rest of your day in Badlands National Park, finish driving Badlands Loop Road. Along the way, the views from the car will be amazing, but make sure to get out at all the overlooks to really appreciate the landscape!
Here are some of the amazing views that you can expect from some of our favorite overlooks along Badlands Loop Road.
Pinnacles Overlook - one of the most popular viewpoints in the park and not to be missed on a Badlands itinerary
Panorama Point Overlook
The views from White River Valley Overlook
Exploring the landscape at the Yellow Mounds Overlook will be one of the more unique things you do on your Badlands itinerary!
Optional afternoon activities
Ok, now that you’ve made it to the end of the scenic drive (the Pinnacles Overlook), you have a few different options. At this point, it will probably be early to mid- afternoon, depending on a few factors…if you got up for sunrise, what time sunrise was, and if you ventured onto the Castle Trail or not. But either way, you’ll likely have a few hours to kill before sunset.
If you don’t care about catching sunset, we recommend skipping to the next part of this one day Badlands itinerary (Sage Creek Rim Road) and then consider doing the activities listed below once you leave the park (that way you won’t have any backtracking back into the park).
If you do want to watch sunset (which we recommend!), then you can consider doing some of the following activities to fill your time before the sun starts setting:
Minuteman Missile Site: This historical site is located just outside of Badlands National Park, at the intersection of I-90 and Hwy 240. A visit to the Minuteman Missile Site gives you a glimpse of some Cold War era history, where you can see what was once a fully operation missile silo as well as the Delta 01 control facility. The latter requires a tour if you want to get any closer than the gate, and costs $12 per person with advanced reservations.
Head into Wall: This small tourist town just outside of the Badlands is home to the famous tourist attraction known as Wall Drug. This is an old-drug store which turned into a place for travelers to get free ice water, and then turned into what is now a giant tourist trap, attracting 2 million visitors a year! It houses souvenir shops, a restaurant, well-advertised 5 cent coffee, a cute little traveler’s chapel, and a bunch of oddities tucked into nook and crannies. It’s worth a stop, even a quick one…after all, you’ll see it advertised for hundreds of miles on I-90 as you approach the town (you really will…this is not an exaggeration!). Mine as well see what all the hype is about!
While in Wall you can grab an early dinner before heading back into the park.
Wall Drug is a quirky stop to add onto your Badlands itinerary with some spare time
Sage Creek Rim Road
About an hour before sunset, we recommend you head back into the park and drive Sage Creek Rim Road. This won’t require you to backtrack too much if you’re coming from Wall, because the entrance to this road is just past the Pinnacles entrance station.
Sage Creek Rim Road is an often overlooked road in Badlands National Park, overshadowed by the incredibly scenic and paved Badlands Loop Road. But we recommend not missing it on your Badlands itinerary because it really has equally stunning views, and is far less crowded! It is an unpaved dirt road, but it’s pretty well maintained, and a standard car could drive this road in fair weather (if it rains a 4WD may be required).
This road travels almost 27 miles from near the Pinnacles Overlook along the main Loop Road all the way to Scenic, and can take up to an hour to drive. However, to see the best parts of the road, you only have to drive about 5 miles out.
In these five miles, you’ll have access to several scenic overlooks, like these:
Hay Butte Overlook
Hay Butte was our favorite overlook during our one day in the Badlands!
Roberts Prairie Dog Town
This awesome place is found at about the five mile mark along this road. It’s the best place in Badlands to spot prairie dogs…so make sure to have this stop on your one day Badlands itinerary!
Aside from prairie dogs, the Sage Creek Rim Road is an excellent place to view bison and bighorn sheep…we saw both! This is why we recommend driving this road at dusk, around sunset time… you’ll have a better chance of spotting all the amazing Badlands wildlife!
Hopefully, you’ll be able to see lots of amazing wildlife during your day in the Badlands!
Sunset in Badlands National Park
If you’re on the west side of the park, which you will be after driving Sage Creek Rim Road, you won’t have to venture very far for sunset… the Pinnacles Overlook is said to be a really good sunset spot in the Badlands. We really enjoyed watching it from Hay Butte Overlook right along Sage Creek Rim Road, but no matter where you catch it, it is sure to be amazing on a clear day and a perfect way to close out your day in Badlands National Park!
Be sure to add catching the sunset to your Badlands itinerary!
Catch the Night Sky
If it interests you, hang out in the park to see the park’s nighttime show…billions of stars! Well, according to the park, you can see about 7,500 of them, but who’s counting? This would be the perfect way to end your one day in Badlands National Park.
If you feel like backtracking, you can head back to the Cedar Pass campground amphitheater for an evening night sky program, where they usually have telescopes set up for night sky viewing. This would be quite a backtrack if you’re staying in Wall or anywhere near there, but it could be worth it! The starting time of this program varies on when the sun sets, so check the park calendar before your visit!
One day Badlands National Park itinerary: West to East route
If you’re staying closer to the Pinnacles entrance station, then planning a Badlands itinerary where you drive Badlands Loop Road from west to east might be more convenient for you, especially if you are interested in sunrise but don’t want to have an early morning driving all the way to the Big Badlands Overlook first thing.
For this one day Badlands itinerary, you’ll essentially do the reverse of the above itinerary, with just a few minor differences.
Badlands National Park itinerary map
Sunrise at Badlands National Park
On the west side of the park, start your one day Badlands itinerary by catching the sunrise at Pinnacles Overlook. This is convenient because it’s the very first overlook on this side of the park, just past the Pinnacles entrance station.
Pack a breakfast and enjoy here. Alternatively, from this side of the park, you aren’t too far from Wall if you want to head into town or back to your accommodation for breakfast before returning to the park and picking up where you left off.
Sage Creek Rim Road
After sunrise, it’s the perfect time on your Badlands itinerary to drive Sage Creek Rim Road to give you a great chance at spotting wildlife like bison and bighorn sheep! Head to a few overlooks, making sure to drive at least five miles down the road to stop at the prairie dog town.
Drive Badlands Loop Road
Continue your Badlands itinerary by heading down Badlands Loop Road, stopping at all the overlooks, just like the one day Badlands itinerary above.
Along the way, make sure to stop at the Fossil Exhibit Trail and then the Fossil Prep Lab at the visitor center to get up close looks at both real life and replica fossils!
Notch, Door, and Window Trails
Particularly if it’s summer, we would recommend saving these hikes (particularly the Notch Trail) for later in the afternoon, once the heat of the day starts dissipating. Trust us, it gets hot here and the heat can really affect you!
If you woke up for sunrise, you might be here a little too early, right at the height of the afternoon heat. If you want to wait a little to hike, you can venture just outside the park to the Minuteman Missile Site and eat an early dinner in Wall (or as a picnic in the park, or even right at the Cedar Pass Lodge nearby the trailhead).
Once it’s cooler, tackle the three trails!
Sunset at Badlands National Park
Right after you’re done hiking, stick around for sunset to close out your one day in the Badlands…Big Badlands Overlook just down the street is a good option.
See the Night Sky
Since you’ll be close to the Cedar Lodge campground, stick around for an evening night sky program to learn about and view the stars!
Planning your time for this one day Badlands National Park itinerary
After reading the Badlands itinerary options above, we know this might sound like a lot, but we promise it’s all totally doable in just a day. Just be prepared for a jam-packed day!
For us, it took us about 7 hours to drive the Badlands Loop Road in one direction from west to east, stopping at all the overlooks and doing most of the short hikes along the way. In total, we spent about 9 hours in the park after including Sage Creek Rim Road and stopping for sunset. See, totally doable!
Half Day Badlands National Park Itinerary
Even with just a half day in the Badlands, we bet you can still see lots of wildlife!
If you’re just driving through and have less than a day in Badlands National Park, you can still see most of the highlights!
With just a few hours in the park, spend your time driving the Badlands Loop Road, making as many stops at overlooks as you can, and with any extra time, add in a short hike or two (we would recommend the Notch and/or Door Trails!).
More Time in Badlands National Park
If you have more than one day in Badlands National Park, lucky you!
With two days in the Badlands, you have a few options when creating your Badlands National Park itinerary. You can either spend some more time in the North Unit or venture down into the South Unit.
In the North Unit, you can use your second day to do some longer hiking routes.
The Castle, Medicine Root, and Saddle Pass hikes mentioned in the one day Badlands itinerary above can be combined to make a 10+ mile hike through the heart of the Badlands. If you want to do this entire hike, it would be hard to do this plus everything else on the one day itinerary, so we would recommend saving it for your second day, especially so you can start early in the morning before the heat sets in.
Alternatively, you can choose to take on the park’s “open hike policy” and go off trail or even spend the night backpacking. Common social trails for this are found along Sage Creek Rim Road and at Deer Haven.
Or, you can spend your second day in the Badlands exploring the south unit. There isn’t as much to do down here, but it will still take up a good chunk of your day just getting there and back, which is why we reserved this for only those with two days in Badlands National Park. There is one road that travels around the perimeter of the unit that will give you scenic views over the area. You’ll have to make your way to Scenic, SD, and then from there, the road that travels around the perimeter of the South Unit to the Red Shirt Table Overlook is about 50 miles long. From here, you can either continue on your South Dakota road trip to Rapid City, or backtrack back to your home base.
While near Scenic, you can also drive the road to Sheep Table Mountain, which borders the North and South units. This road travels 5 miles to an overlook, and 4WD is recommended.
More Information on Badlands National Park
If you’re looking for more information to plan your Badlands National Park itinerary, check out some of our other guides!
Best things to do in Badlands National Park (Complete Guide) – Here we go over everything to do in the Badlands, plus tips on where to stay, the best time to visit, weather considerations, what to pack, and a lot more.
Best hikes in Badlands National Park – Check this Badlands hiking guide out to figure out which hikes you want to make sure you include in your one day in Badlands National Park!
How to hike the Notch Trail in Badlands National Park – Check out our complete guide on the Notch Trail- our favorite Badlands hike!
Going on a South Dakota Road Trip?
Is your one day in Badlands National Park a part of a larger South Dakota road trip? Let us help you plan it! We have a bunch more South Dakota guides to help you craft your perfect South Dakota road trip itinerary.
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CUSTER STATE PARK- Check out all the epic hikes and scenic drives in this park…just 90 minutes from the Badlands…in our guide on things to do in Custer State Park.
BLACK ELK PEAK - Hike to the highest point in South Dakota! Learn how in this guide to hiking Black Elk Peak and other hikes in Custer.
MOUNT RUSHMORE - Learn everything you need to know about visiting this iconic landmark (and if it’s even worth it) in our ultimate Mount Rushmore guide.
BLACK HILLS ITINERARY- Learn how to plan a South Dakota road trip itinerary through the Black Hills, from one day to one week.
PETER NORBECK SCENIC BYWAY - Driving this route is one of the best ways to spend a day or two in South Dakota - learn how with our Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway guide!
We hope this guide gives you a good idea of how to plan out your one day in Badlands National Park. Let us know if you have any questions about crafting your perfect Badlands itinerary!