Going to Badlands National Park with my kids was a dream come true!
Badlands is one of my favorite National Parks, and an absolute blast with kids.
Scaling the badlands. Searching for fossils. Spying bison, prairie dogs, and a coyote. A kid’s dream!
My husband and I first visited Badlands National Park in 2016, when we were engaged. That whole trip, we talked about how much fun it would be to go back to Badlands with our future kids someday.
Exactly nine years later — to the day, unintentionally! — we returned to Badlands with our three kids! It was every bit as amazing as we had imagined nearly a decade earlier.
Here are our favorite things to do in Badlands with kids so you can have an epic trip too!
Favorite Trails to Hike in Badlands with Kids
1. Notch Trail (1.2 miles, moderate)
The top trail to hike in Badlands with kids (and without) is definitely the Notch Trail. The trail is extremely popular, so get here first thing in the morning!
The Notch Trail is famous because it has a ladder that ascends the badlands themselves! You start the hike walking along the bottom of the badlands, go up the ladder, then walk along the top of the badlands!
The view at the end of the trail is my favorite in the park.
Notch is an out-and-back trail, which is why you have to get here early.
There’s one ladder, so prepare to wait to go down the ladder until there’s a gap between groups of people going up. We waited at least 20 minutes here, but this hike is absolutely worth the wait!
2. Window and Door Trails (about 1 mile total)
These two trails have the same start, and they share a parking lot with the Notch Trail.
I recommend walking them after you finish Notch first thing in the morning.
The Window Trail is a 0.3-mile accessible boardwalk to a “window” that looks out over the Badlands.
Back down the parking lot is the start of the Door Trail.
The Door Trail is 0.8 miles. It begins with a boardwalk before transitioning through a “door” in the Badlands, an opening in the rocks that leads to a primitive trail marked by numbered posts.
I walked this trail with my then 7-year-old, and we loved finding the next numbers along the route, jumping over rocks here and there. It’s an amazing hike to do in Badlands with kids, but there is no shade so it does get hot. The other half of our crew opted to wait in the truck in the air conditioning.
The Door Trail ends at a funny little sign that says “End of Trail.” My son and I thought it was hilarious!
2. Fossil Exhibit Trail (0.2 mile, easy)
The Fossil Exhibit Trail is a very short, accessible boardwalk that showcases information about the fossils found in Badlands.
Badlands is a paleontology hot spot. Learn all about that history at the Fossil Exhibit Trail.
During the summer months, a ranger typically gives a talk at this trailhead twice a day. It’s a great way to learn about the park’s fossil finds!
4. Saddle Pass Trail (0.6 mile, hard)
A steep scramble up the badlands formations takes you to the top of Saddle Pass.
The view is stunning, and adventurous elementary schoolers will love this epic climb.
That said, bring a hiking carrier for toddlers and keep a close eye on kids. The rock is slippery!
Visit the Fossil Preparation Lab in Badlands with kids
I’ve mentioned that Badlands is a fossil hot spot, and the Fossil Preparation Lab is the best place to see some of the fossils that were found in the park!
The lab is typically open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. So be sure to stop here before it closes.
And check out the wall with photos of people who have found fossils in the park — many of them are kids!
Two reasons make Badlands a great place to find fossils: an open-hike policy and erosion.
Badlands is an open hike park, meaning you actually don’t have to stay on the trail.
By nature, badlands erode quickly. Scientists estimate that the badlands in the park erode about one inch per year. That’s so quick that people walking off trail doesn’t speed up the natural erosion!
That fast erosion also makes it a great place to find fossils. The landscape constantly changes, exposing treasures hidden under the rock.
So, people have been finding fossils in Badlands for hundreds of years, including the people of the Oglala Lakota Nation who were here long before paleontology was a formal area of study.
Drive the Badlands Loop Road
The Badlands Loop Road is a must-do in Badlands with kids!
The road is about 40 miles, and takes an hour or two to drive, depending on how frequently you stop.
Honestly, every stop and viewpoint is great. But our favorites are Panorama Point, Yellow Mounds Overlook, Pinnacles Overlook, and the prairie dog towns.
Keep an eye out for bison and bighorn sheep along the way!
Become a Junior Ranger — and Junior Paleontologist!
You can’t visit Badlands with kids without them earning their Junior Ranger badges!
Pick up a free activity book at the visitor center. Have your kids complete the activities, then turn it in back at the visitor center for a free badge.
But not only does Badlands have a Junior Ranger badge, it also has a Junior Paleontologist badge!
The Junior Paleontologist book explores several of the National Park sites across the country that have fossils. My dinosaur-loving kids enjoyed learning about the various sites and added several of them to our National Parks bucket list!
You can pick up and turn in the Junior Paleontologist book at the visitor center too.
Attend a ranger program in Badlands with kids
I highly recommend attending a ranger program in Badlands with kids.
Ranger programs are a great way to learn more about the park and to ask any questions you have. Plus, Junior Ranger books often require kids to attend a ranger program.
Most days in summer, a ranger gives a talk on paleontology and fossils at the Fossil Exhibit Trail. It was perfect for our fossil-loving kids!
Admire the Badlands at golden hour
Golden hour is arguably the best time to admire the Badlands.
Golden hour is the first hour after sunrise and the last hour before sunset, when the light is softer. It brings out the beautiful hues in the Badlands, which can look gray and washed-out at midday.
That said, the sun sets really late and rises very early in summer in South Dakota. So getting to the park exactly at golden hour can be tough. A great reason to stay in the park if you can!
Bonus: Visit Wall Drug with kids
Wall Drug is a must-see near Badlands with kids.
It’s indescribable. Think funky emporium meets giant gift stores meets restaurant.
Wall Drug got its start in the 1930s by offering free ice water and 5-cent coffee to weary travelers journeying across the hot prairie.
Today, you can still get free ice water! Plus, there is pie, ice cream, food, and souvenirs galore.
Be sure to check out the backyard with the giant jackalope, mechanical horse ride (bring some change), and animatronics.
Bonus: Visit other Black Hills sites
Your adventure to Badlands with kids wouldn’t be complete without exploring the rest of the Black Hills!
Wind Cave National Park, Mount Rushmore National Memorial, the Crazy Horse Memorial, the Mammoth Site, Devils Tower National Monument, and Custer State Park are all other places you must visit in the Black Hills with kids!
We spent six days in the Black Hills with kids in 2025. It was a wonderful trip that we all still talk about!
All of these spots are within an hour or two from Rapid City, which makes for a great National Parks road trip with kids.
Where to eat in Badlands with kids
There is only one restaurant in Badlands: the restaurant in the Cedar Pass Lodge, next to the Ben Reifel Visitor Center.
The restaurant has a great view of the Badlands — and air conditioning, which is clutch in the hot summer months. We got the Bison Indian Tacos, and the kids got chicken strips.
Where to stay in (and near) Badlands with kids
In park lodging: Cedar Pass Lodge & Campground
Cedar Pass Lodge and Cedar Pass Campground are the two main in-park lodging locations in Badlands.
They’re located right next to the Visitor Center, and are a great choice for in-park lodging.
Cedar Pass Lodge has rooms that can sleep up to five people, and cottages that can sleep six. Enjoy the view of the Badlands at golden hour right from your front porch.
Lodging outside of Badlands for kids
WaTiki Water Park hotels
When we visited with our kids, we stayed at the Residence Inn at WaTiki Water Park in Rapid City.
It was our first waterpark experience, and the kids LOVED it!
The indoor waterpark was perfect for hot South Dakota afternoons. Plus, having a full kitchen was amazing.
If you’re visiting several sites in the Black Hills, Rapid City makes a great base camp.
WaTiki is only about one hour from Badlands National Park, one hour from Wind Cave National Park, one hour from our favorite sites in Custer State Park, and 45 minutes from Mount Rushmore.
Warning: The Badlands are hot!
I can’t end this post without mentioning a few safety things.
Most people typically visit Badlands National Park in summer, when there isn’t snow in South Dakota.
That said, there is zero shade in the Badlands. Zero. And water is only available at the Visitor Center.
So pack a lot of water, wear sunscreen, and don a hat on your adventure to Badlands with kids!
I also recommend getting an early start to the day to beat the heat and the crowds.
During the midday heat, visit in air conditioned places like the park restaurant and Wall Drug, then head back to the park in the evening.
Keep an eye on the weather too. It’s South Dakota, so summer thunderstorms aren’t uncommon. Badlands are extra slippery in rain.
I hope you have the best trip to Badlands with kids!