Destination 7
Badlands National Park
We stopped a few miles past the Visitor’s Center and parked for the Window, Door and Notch Trails (all in one parking lot). We particularly enjoyed our walk down a small canyon near the lower level of the Notch Trail, where we found birds nesting in the rocks below the canyon rim. We also made a stop at the accessible Cliff Shelf Trail, which winds through and overlooks a juniper forest area.
After making a quick restroom stop at the Visitor’s Center, we decided to try the “Indian Taco” at the Cedar Pass Lodge (the only restaurant in the park). The taco, which is fry bread topped with seasoned beef/bison, cheese, salsa, etc. was tasty, although the dining room could use some updating. We then headed back on the Scenic Byway, towards the Pinnacles Gate, and made a few more stops, including at the unique Yellow Mounds Viewpoint. The temperature was rising and the crowds were growing, so we followed the byway out of the park, and made our way back to Rapid City.
The View
Our home base in Rapid City is about an hour from Badlands NP. The town of Wall, SD is much closer, but this cluster of roadside hotels and touristy establishments (including the overwhelming Wall Drug) is not our style.
In light of the distance and the expected July heat, we left Rapid City at 5 a.m., and arrived at the Pinnacles Gate of the park shortly after 6. At this time, the park was cool, nearly empty and beautifully shrouded in early morning fog. After making a few stops, including at the Pinnacles Viewpoint (above), we drove east on the Badlands Loop Scenic Byway, toward the Visitor’s Center and some of the popular short trails. This 31-mile drive reveals many of the park’s most striking geological features, as well as deer and big horn sheep, and took us about an hour or so.
