Badlands National Park Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour

Hay Butte Overlook

10 min

The overlook faces the Badlands and prairie meadows. It's a wonderful place to see bison, pronghorn, and the park's diverse scenery. From the Badlands Loop Road, a popular park route, the overlook is a short hike.
Note: This 41+ mile-long tour covers the essentials of Badlands in 2-3 hours.

Badlands Wilderness Overlook

10 min

It is known for its unique landscapes, including rugged rock formations and deep canyons. The wilderness area is home to a variety of plant and animal life, including bison, bighorn sheep, and pronghorn. It is a popular destination for hiking and backpacking, as well as wildlife viewing and photography.

Roberts Prairie Dog Town

10 min

It houses many black-tailed prairie dogs. Prairie dogs, burrowing rodents from the Great Plains of North America, are known for their "bark" and behaviour. Visitors to the park enjoy seeing these fascinating animals in their natural habitat at Roberts Prairie Dog Town.

Ancient Hunters Overlook

10 min

This site is named after the ancient tribes that hunted in the Badlands. This site yielded bison bones and arrowheads. It was likely a butchering field where hunters cleaned and prepared bison corpses.

Yellow Mounds Overlook

10 min

It has unique layered rock formations. Iron oxide in the rock layers makes the Yellow Mounds yellow. The formations offer a unique picture of Badlands landscapes after millions of years of erosion and weathering.

Big Badlands Overlook

10 min

Here, you can take in another great view of the park’s yellow paleosols. These offer a window into the land’s distant past. Remember, this was once the bed of a warm, shallow sea. The paleosols you can see from here are part of the bottommost formation in the Badlands: the Pierre Shale.

Homestead Overlook

10 min

Lincoln believed the American west had the resources his country needed. Few Americans wanted to live there. West Coast Natives were wary of settlers in the unexplored region. So Lincoln signed the Homestead Act. All they needed to do was live on the land and work to improve it.

Prairie Wind Overlook

10 min

This spot is quite different from previous overlooks, as the main attraction here isn’t badlands at all, but gentle, pleasant prairie. It’s a great example of the surprisingly diverse ecosystems of the park.

White River Valley Overlook

10 min

From here, you may see The Castle, a magnificent formation. It will be the largest formations seen from the overlook. Beyond the castle, the White River Valley extends forever. The White River created this valley long ago, as you would have surmised from the name.

Fossil Exhibit Trail

10 min

The trail includes interactive exhibits showcasing the park's fossil heritage, including ancient animal fossils. The wheelchair-accessible trail welcomes all ages and fitness levels. Visitors can learn about extinct animals like the rhinoceros and three-toed horse and their environment along the trail.

Saddle Pass Trail

10 min

This 0.7-mile trail takes under half an hour to hike and features some great opportunities for bird watching and sightseeing along the way. Despite its short length, this is one of the steepest in the park, with over 200 feet of elevation gain. If it has rained recently, you should steer clear of this one.

Ben Reifel Visitor Center

10 min

If you’re looking to take a quick break from your expedition through the Badlands, this is a great place for it. In addition to a picnic area and the usual amenities, you’ll also find things like the Fossil Preparation Lab here, which shows what paleontologists do with fossils once they’ve discovered them.

Cliff Shelf Nature Trail

10 min

This half-mile loop offers one of the best views in the park. In addition to the stellar vista from the top of the loop, you’ll also get to explore one of the Badlands’ lesser-known biomes as you walk through a lush juniper forest.

Notch Trail

10 min

The Notch Trail features 1.5 miles of rough terrain for the intermediate hiker, including a rope ladder that takes you up to a tremendous vista of the White River Valley. Hikers looking for tricky terrain and great views will love this trail.

Door Trail

10 min

This quarter-mile, fully accessible boardwalk is more of a stroll than a hike. It leads to a break in the Badlands Wall. This gap, known as The Door, features unbeatable views of the landscape beyond. Be sure to bring your camera for this one!

Castle Trail

10 min

Finally, there’s The Castle. At 5.4 miles, it’s the longest-maintained trail in the park. It weaves through prairie, Badlands peaks, and all kinds of unique formations along the way. If you want to get a good look at all the different features of the Badlands, this trail is a great choice.