4 4. BADLANDS NATIONAL PARK Take in sweeping vistas of otherworldly landscapes and stunning panoramas of vividly colored buttes, pinnacles, spires and canyons at Badlands National Park. The 244,000-acre park — once known as Mako Sica (a Lakota phrase meaning “land bad”) — features eroded land formations that reveal multicolored layers of various rock types: shale (purple and yellow), sand and gravel (tan and gray), iron oxides (red and orange) and volcanic ash (white). While you’re here, drive the Badlands Loop State Scenic Byway and keep your eyes open for an array of wildlife, including eagles, coyotes, pronghorn and bison. Since being given more room to roam, the resident conservation herd numbers around 1,200. Spot individual bison and small groups along the park’s Sage Creek Rim Road. Badlands Loop Scenic State Byway Between the towns of Wall and Cactus Flat, this 39-mile loop of South Dakota Highway 240 features an array of ragged ridgelines, sawtooth spires and native grasslands. Pull over at any (or all!) of the 12 designated overlooks for incredible views. EAT & DRINK After a day of hiking and sightseeing in the great outdoors, scoot into a booth at Cedar Pass Lodge in the park to savor Indian Tacos — fluffy fry bread loaded with beans, buffalo meat and cheese — while taking in views of the Badlands. Or head over to Wall, where the Red Rock Restaurant & Lounge is known for its steak, burgers and salad bar. Finish your adventures by sipping locally made spirits at Badlands Distillery in Kadoka. INSIDER’S TIP: Daybreak and dusk are best for observing the signature color striations of this lunar-like landscape. For stargazers, the remoteness of this region is heaven. Inquire into Night Sky Viewing programs led by Badlands National Park rangers spring through fall. Nearby Towns: Interior (2 miles); Wall (7.5 miles); Kadoka (23 miles) 8 // #HiFromSD
South Dakota Vacation Guide South Dakota Vacation Guide 2022: Page 8
