The sun emerges in a spark of fire igniting islands of rock in an ocean of grass. We are stunned at the unexpected beauty before us. It’s a wonder they don’t rename the park “Goodlands” for moments like this.
June 2–3, 2023
Located 464 miles north, we wake early to make the most of a short weekend in Badlands National Park. We watch mountains give way to foothills give way to the great American plains over the 7.5 hour drive, pulling into the town of Interior, South Dakota, in the mid-afternoon. We quickly find our campsite at Cedar Pass Campground and head over to the Ben Reifel Visitor Center in search of some trail advice before it closes for the day.
According to the park rangers, the best place to spot wildlife is along the Badlands Loop Road so that’s where we start. The sun is bright and the sky is clear this afternoon as we curve our way through eroded spires of rock. Winding up the valley and popping up on the ridge we immediately spot bison and antelope in the distant plains. No close encounters, but enough to feel their presence. Eventually we round a bend near Pinnacles Overlook and notice a crowd of cars pulled over along the shoulder. A herd of bighorn sheep have just crossed the road and leisurely make their way down the mesa and across the badlands. Pulling over we get out to photograph the group. So engrossed in the animals, we hardly notice a female bighorn a mere 20 feet away. Now this is a close encounter. If this is indicative of Badlands, then we have a promising trip ahead of us.
As the afternoon wanes we return back towards camp and stop at Window Trailhead to capture the setting sunlight on the badlands of Window Trail. In conjunction with the sunset a nearly-full moon rises in the east, gracing the golden rock formations like a cherry on top. This trailhead is the launch to many other excellent trails, so we plan to return here in the morning.
After a good night’s sleep, we wake before dawn and steal away to Big Badlands Overlook for sunrise before returning to Window Trailhead. Big Badlands is known for the striped rock layering that has become iconic of the park. As the sky lightens, several likeminded visitors join the viewpoint in anticipation of sunrise. The scene stretches miles into the prairie as the sky turns purple and the rocks glow pink. The sun emerges in a spark of fire igniting islands of rock in an ocean of grass. We are stunned at the unexpected beauty before us. It’s a wonder they don’t rename the park “Goodlands” for moments like this.
With the sun rising, we drive a short distance back to Window Trailhead and embark on Castle Trail, a delicious morning affair in the golden hour light. The trail weaves around giant eroded blocks of sandstone like sand castles on a shore of sunny grass. At 10 miles, Castle Trail is the longest trail in the park, venturing far away from the sights and sounds of the park road. About five miles in, we cross Medicine Root Trail in peaceful prairie silence. Beetles scurry across the gravel path and a few birds flit about. Watching the clock, we turn around here and head back to the trailhead to make time for one more morning hike: the infamous Notch Trail.
Notch Trail is a must see for the more adventurous visitors. It too is located at Window Trailhead. Much shorter at 1.5 miles out and back, this path takes visitors along a fairly exposed ledge to a notched viewpoint over the White River Valley. To approach the overlook, we find ourselves climbing a sizable log ladder in a final pitch up the crumbly slopes, a memorable experience to cap off our time in the park.
Because our time in Badlands has been so efficient and enjoyable, we survey the rest of the weekend and make a spontaneous decision to leave Badlands a day early and visit the nearby Wind Cave National Park on our way home, making this a two-for-one trip. While we could spend more time in the park, we are content with our experience and eager to compare Badlands to the fabled prairies of Wind Cave.
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