Badlands on a Budget

I recently got back from a quick road trip from Wyoming to South Dakota with my son. We were on a mission to find dinosaur fossils and enjoy the beautiful land formations of South Dakota. In this blog post you will see how we spent our three day road trip on a budget exploring one of the most surprising states in the American West.

Itinerary

Day 1- Drive to Hot Springs, SD and stop by Mammoth Site. Mammoth Site is for Paleontology lovers young and old with over 60 mammoth fossils, active dig site and a kids dig program. The Mammoth Site also has a fun rock sleuth outside the store to discover even more fossils and gemstones.

Just a short 20 minute drive from the Mammoth site is Wind Cave National Park. A tour of the cave system is highly recommended as most of the park is underground. Then make the two hour drive to Badlands National Park with a stop over in Rapid City for dinner.

Day 2 -Spend the whole day exploring Badlands National Park. It takes about 2-4 hours to drive the scenic loop with stops at the overlooks. Don’t forget to stop at Cedar Pass Restaurant for their delicious Sioux Tacos. The most popular hikes in the park are Notch Trail and the Door and Window trails. After exploring the park head over to Wall, SD for dinner and to shop in the famous Wall Drug, for an experience you won't forget.

Day 3- Enjoy the scenic drive back to Rapid City to see the quaint Chapel in the Hills. The Chapel is a reproduction of the famous Borund Stavkirke in Laedal, Norway and is made completely out of wood. If you have the time, be sure to stop by the amazing Custer State Park. There is a multitude to enjoy at this amazing park including hiking, camping, fishing and wildlife viewing. We decided to stop at a local swimming hole near Hot Springs on our way back. It is called Cascade Falls and it is great for families. There is a shallow area for small children and a couple of rocks to jump off of into deeper water.

Must Sees

The highlight of our trip was catching a sunset at Pinnacles Overlook in Badlands National Park. We also enjoyed the Fossil Preparation Lab where they had live fossil demonstrations. One of the most famous sights to stop by is Wall Drug in Wall, SD. It takes up an entire city block. Our last favorite sight was the Wind Cave National Park Garden of Eden Tour.

Best times and Where to go

The best time to visit South Dakota would be late Spring, Summer and Fall. Summer temperatures in Badlands can be quite hot so plan to get an early start or go for a sunset hike. A sunset hike can also increase your chances of seeing wildlife in the park.

The park's most visited hike is the Notch trail. Plan on an early start to avoid the crowds when you get the famous ladder. The trail is a short 1.5 mile out and back hike but there is plenty to see and explore.

Where to stay

Rapid City, SD is a great place to stay in South Dakota that is close to many attractions with the convenience of having shops and restaurants around if you need anything. The closest town to Badlands is Wall, SD. There are plenty of comfortable options in town to choose from. We decided to camp next to the park in Buffalo Gap Dispersed Camping. It is a free first come area with beautiful views of the Badlands.

Overall Experience-

South Dakota will surprise you with all the wonderful places it has to visit and a road trip is a perfect way to see many sites in one trip. The best way to do that, is to plan ahead so that you can enjoy the destination when you get there.