I'm never going to rank something nature made less than 5 stars!…read more A unique national park...and a hot one! There is very little shade in this park and it is incredibly hot (we visited in July). We visited with two small kids (5 year old, 1.5 year old) so didn't do any major hikes. We did Door Trail which was fun to leave the boardwalk and explore for the whole family. We also did the Window "trail" which I would consider more of an overlook. We did the Cliff Shelf Nature Trail which I highly recommend for anyone! It gets you some different terrain and some shade. The views can be awe inspiring and otherworldly--not every overlook is worth stopping in my opinion but there's some really neat ones. The visitor center is good. Most stops have vault toilets which were all pretty well maintained. Would not recommend the extra drive to the prairie dog town...we saw prairie dogs all over the state so it wasn't really anything special. We saw several bison outside of the Pinnacles entrance and several herds on the way to the Interior entrance from the west. Try to go early in the day and late in the day to keep cool. And make sure your kiddos get their junior ranger badges at the visitor center.

Breathtaking topography. Piques the curiosity. I mean, can you believe much of our land used to be…read moreunderground? Supposedly that's how ancient rapids carved the Badlands we see today. + Thankfully, restrooms and disposal bins at like every stop. + Water refill & A/C at the VC. - Virtually no shade. Desert climate out there. - And yet very crowded! People taking photos everywhere. Crowded museums.

+ Several exciting off-trails you can explore a lil. Just be careful, don't wander too far off…read more+ Lotta room for photo ops without anyone else in the bg. + A couple pit toilets here. + Multi-trash bins here to dump out yo basura. - Moderately crowded. Lotta people here, but a lotta space at this stop, so you're able to find your room still. + Decent amount of parking.

At this overlook we had a view above the Badlands. It was a very smelly tree here and garbage…read morereceptacles. We followed the boardwalk for a view over the Badlands. that's priceless.

You can walk short trails further out into the badlands for an even better view. Just beware! Don't…read moreget near the edge...the ground can be slippery and the cliffs are fragile and can give way under your feet. It's the perfect stop-off to look at the different layers in the rocks, including the red-colored fossil soils. The White River Valley Overlook is located on the south side of the road and there is ample parking. There is even parking for RVs and vehicles pulling campers. There are no restrooms or other amenities at this overlook. The overlook is wheelchair accessible. The spectacular views from the White River Valley Overlook make it a worthy stop for travelers of the Badlands Loop Road.

Nice trail, I would recommend going all season long…read more Have fun........................

Absolutely love the trail just hate the old sour grapes that ride it! They don't smile and act as…read moreif the trail is theirs.

This was more than we expected. We came for a map and stayed for a half hour movie on the National…read moreGrasslands. So much wonderful information. We had already crossed the Oglala grassland and didn't understand the importance. If you have time see the free film.

Informative. Several maps and local guides available, potable water and bathrooms. A "patio talk"…read moretwice a day and upon request during this summer season, a film and please-touch gallery

Yellow Mounds section stands out from some of the overlooks and formations around it because of the…read moreshape and coloring. At first glance, I didn't think anything special, but after getting out at the overlook and walking around a little to fully capture the views and how they fit in with the surrounding landscape, I came away appreciating them more than it seemed.

As you approach the YellowMound Overlook (the next overlook on our list), you will drive through…read morevibrantly colored yellow hills. There is a turnout here where you can safely park your car and get out to enjoy the view. The yellow color comes from fossil soils, called paleosols, that have weathered and changed color when exposed to the sun.

The views at the top of Black Elk Peak are so beautiful! The trail leading up to the peak is a…read moresteady incline with one short stretch where it goes downhill. Due to the incline, I recommend wearing a water pack to make sure you stay hydrated. It's the highest point in South Dakota and you will want to spend some time at the top taking in the views! There are also plenty of photo opportunities along the way. Make sure to wear good hiking shoes and enjoy soaking in the views!

It took me and my pals 3hrs and 15mins to come up and down this peak (fast paced group but took…read moreshort breaks). I'm an athlete and my hips were very stiff by the end. This one's not for the weak !! We were in the clouds by the time we got up there (about 4:40p) but it was still so beautiful. Lots of photo ops along the way.

Connected to the same boardwalk trail as window and notch trail. Super easy yet very picturesque!…read moreRecommend making a stop here!

Tryna review the adjacent Notch Trail, but guess this'll do, as they share the same parking lot. To…read moreclarify, Door Trail starts at Q37F+C8 Interior, SD, while Notch Trail starts at the other end of the parking lot: Q36C+2P Interior, SD. Glad I made it. The ladder's a fun gimmick. People seem to struggle on it a lot. But tbh it's easier than it looks. Just walk it. Don't worry about maintaining perfect balance on all fours every step of the way. Just go. Or else before you know it, crowds start lining up as young families hold up all the traffic on that single ladder, then it effectively becomes a bottleneck tourist trap. Try to beat the crowd. And minimize everyone's wait time. The ladder's here: 43°45'21.8"N 101°55'49.0"W which is a 1/2mi (10min) from the trailhead.

Chuck Lien family park is basically the same area of Rapid City that Hanson- Larson Memorial Park…read moreclaims- the memorial park is a set of trails all over the few hills there and Chuck Lien is a spot of land right in the middle of those trails, as well as one large trail that is easy access right up to M Hill, one of the most well known spots in Rapid City where the giant white M sits along the hill. It's really beautiful area any time of year, and such a pleasant hike around- it's not too difficult or strenuous but it can still get you breathing a little hard and sweating which is a perfect hike to me. Referencing my review on Hanson- Larson park if you plan to visit this area would probably be pretty helpful, I'm repeating a lot of what I said there but I don't want to completely drone on. Basically, have a picture of the trails or you may get lost, and taking the Chuck Lien trail path is the biggest path and super easy to make it up to the top of M Hill, and boy is the view worth it!

I can't rate a park anything less than 5 stars; this is a small national park and easy to spend…read morehalf a day here and add in to a trip. This was a last minute addition so we missed the opportunity to do a cave tour. Next time! The visitor center is surprisingly large and really neat even if not visiting the cave. You can walk to the original entrance of the cave from the visitor center which is neat to see and "cool" to feel cold the air blowing out of the opening. We saw soooo many bison! And a coyote hunting prairie dogs! This national park doesn't charge an entrance fee to walk around or drive thru, so if you are in the area and maybe missed wildlife at the state park, it's worth a drive through to try and catch a view of some animals! Make sure your kiddos get junior ranger badges at the visitor center!

There's a whole hidden world under the prairie. The Garden of Eden Tour took us deep underground…read morethrough narrow passageways and into rooms full of rare boxwork formations and delicate honeycomb patterns that make this cave so special. Down there, everything feels slower. It's quiet, cool, and feels almost untouched. Then you step back outside and it's a complete contrast. Open skies, rolling hills, and bison grazing in the distance like something straight out of a movie. Two totally different worlds in one park.