Drive Badlands Loop Road
Build in time for overlooks rather than treating the park as a pass-through.
Check availabilityCheck availabilitySouth Dakota's Great 8 · Destination guide
Layered buttes, fossil beds, prairie wildlife, and night skies turn the drive west into an experience of its own.
Why it belongs on the route
Badlands National Park protects a striking landscape of eroded buttes, pinnacles, mixed-grass prairie, and fossil-rich formations. From Pierre, the park's northeast side creates one of the strongest Great 8 road-trip connections in the state.
Guests can use Pierre as a comfortable overnight stop before an early westbound departure, or return after a scenic day that combines overlooks, short trails, wildlife viewing, and nearby roadside attractions. Entrance choice matters, so every itinerary should identify the planned gate before departure.
Check official visitor information ↗Build the experience
Build in time for overlooks rather than treating the park as a pass-through.
Bison, bighorn sheep, prairie dogs, and other prairie species may be visible throughout the park.
The open landscape creates memorable sunrise, sunset, and stargazing opportunities.
Plan with confidence
Ready when you are
Choose your dates, check availability, and let Pierre be the easy part of your trip.