On our last full day in South Dakota, we visited Badlands National Park. We drove the Badlands Loop Scenic Byway and stopped at various overlooks and did some of the most popular hikes.
Big Badlands Overlook
The Door Trail (an easy, less-than-a-mile walk)
The Window Trail (a beautiful view at the end)
I took this trip because I wanted to hike the Notch Trail, which had been on my bucket list for many years. Unfortunately, the trail was closed as of the end of August. That was a huge disappointment.
So instead, I went off trail and wandered around for a little bit
Continuing along the main road
Cliff Shelf Nature Trail was also an easy hike
Saddle Pass Trail is probably my favorite hike in Badlands National Park. It was a little challenging because it was steep and slippery due to the loose gravel. But it was short, very scenic, and fun.
White River Valley Overlook
Bigfoot Pass Overlook
Panorama Point Overlook
Burns Basin Overlook
Yellow Mounds Overlook
Pinnacles Overlook
Our last stop was Sage Creek Rim Road. Since it was the middle of the day, I didn’t expect to see much wildlife, but there was a herd of bison roaming near the road and we were able to get a close look at them.
My original plan was to go back to Pinnacles Outlook to watch the sunset. But since the Notch Trail was closed, that shortened our day, and we finished everything early. I wasn’t willing to wait for hours in the heat just for the sunset, so we decided to end our visit and left the park.