South Dakota has a slew of amazing national parks and The Badlands National Park is a must visit. The park expands over 244,000 acres and is home to breathtaking landscapes along with a diverse wildlife.
The Badlands National Park has 64,000 acres of wildlife and while observing the park; guests have a chance to see coyotes, porcupines, bighorn sheep, bobcats, ferrets, rattlesnakes and even bison. Just remember, never get too close and also never try to feed the wild animals. Guests might even be lucky enough to spot a black-footed ferret, which happens to be the most endangered land animal in North America.
Located inside the park is the Ben Reifel Visitor Center. This is where visitors can explore all of the fossils that have been found on the land including fossils from ancient camels, horses and even saber-toothed cats. In fact, park officials are still finding prehistoric fossils in the park. Not far from the Badlands National Park sits the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site, which is another cool historical place to visit.
Courtesy of travelsouthdakota.com
To really get a good look at the Badlands, take the scenic drive along the Badlands Loop Road. The journey takes about an hour and there are plenty of spots on the side of the road where tourists can stop. Visitors can admire the Bandlands’ eroded buttes, and pinnacles along with the largest undisturbed grass prairie in the country. The area also has 8 marked trails that are popular spots for hikers. Or horseback riding is available and is another great way to view the stunning national park.
