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.

Very interesting and comprehensive history of the Minuteman program with interactive exhibits and…read morememorabilia from launch sites. It doesn't appear to be an actual decommissioned launch site, so don't go into this expecting to see a big hole in the ground.

+ Nice free war history museum (and show). + Good amount of…read moreparking, - but no shade in that windy desert heat. + Restrooms and water bottle refill station. + Nice, helpful staff. - Crowded inside. . Popular place for schoolchildren's field trips. - While I was using the men's restroom, the boys turned off the light. I didn't like that.

We stopped here to view America's largest Berlin Wall exhibit and of course see the many beautiful…read moresculptures we had heard about. It is a lovely park with lots of greenspace and beautiful foliage but there were many unhoused persons and some seemed to be living/sleeping next to the statues so we weren't able to spend to much time enjoying some of them or get to close and we didn't want to bother anyone. The ones we did see up close were magnificent! We enjoyed walking through the park on the paved trails and perhaps it was just because we were from outside the area but we had difficulty finding anywhere close to park so we also had a nice walk to and from the park as well. The highlight for my husband was getting to spin the 9,000 lb piece of granite. The engineering makes it possible but it's still pretty tough to get that 4 ton stone moving. This park is worth a stop just for that.

This park is a memorial to those that died in the Rapid Creek floods of 1972. An amphitheater,…read moreplayground, lake & war monuments are displayed here as well. There are sections of the Berlin Wall because this was the front line for the Cold War. Missile & launch control facilities are peppered through the grasslands & are run by the National Park Service.

+ Peaceful nothingness for miles. Gosh the plains out here so plain…read more + Except for the cows in the distance. Wonder how close I coulda gotten to them. - But still, felt like whole lotta nothing out there. . But I suppose it's a decent break in between your visits to the more exciting hot spots like Mt Rushmore and Custer SP. . Prob gotta dig deeper to find the few animals you see in the other reviews' photos, but I was omw to too many flagship destinations to slow down here, unfortunately.

Being from the east coast, I was aware of national parks, national monuments, national forests, and…read moreeven national seashores. But, I wasn't aware of national grasslands until traveling through South Dakota. We stumbled upon Buffalo Gap National Grasslands when we visited the nearby Badlands National Park. (Sept, 2024). Buffalo Gap, with almost 600 thousand acres in southwestern South Dakota, is the second largest protected national grassland in the United Stated. (It's second to the Little Missouri National Grasslands in North Dakota, with over one million acres). Managed by the U.S. Forest Service, its highlights are the colors of the prairie and chalk-colored geological formations, as well as old homesteads and the chance to see wildlife. While there are few developed recreational sites, there are plenty of opportunities to get out into nature here -- with nature viewing, mountain biking, hiking, camping (see below), horseback riding, and hunting. There is also a free Visitors Center in Wall, South Dakota with information about all of the national grasslands, and the importance of the prairie ecosystem. With respect to camping, we already had reservations at the campground in Badlands National Park, but while traveling along the Badlands loop road (Hwy 240), we noticed RVs camping on the top of a cliff in the National Grassland. When we checked online reviews, it was reported that the free dispersed camping offered "jaw dropping views" but with a lot of wind. We hope to return someday to report firsthand!

Our visit to South Dakota was an unforgettable experience from beginning to end. Custer park was…read moreone of our top priorities to visit. Man was it worth it! Every turn along the scenic drives revealed something new and breathtaking--towering mountains, rolling hills, endless grassy plains, crystal-clear lakes and streams, beautiful log cabins, and wildlife roaming freely in their natural habitat. We drove arms reach from bison, and deer. We got out of our car to pet and feed burros, and marveled over other animals right alongside the roadway. The prairie dogs were adorable and funny too. It was an incredible reminder of how special this park truly is. Especially considering I love animals, history, and the artistry of nature. One of the highlights was driving through the famous narrow rock tunnels. The engineering is amazing, and the views framed through the tunnels are simply unforgettable. We also stopped at several cliffside overlooks where the panoramic views stretched as far as the eye could see. Standing there, looking out over the landscape, gave us a true appreciation for the beauty and scale of the Black Hills. Whether you're looking for incredible photography, scenic drives, wildlife viewing, or simply a peaceful escape into nature, Custer State Park delivers on every level. It's one of those places that makes you slow down, take a deep breath, and appreciate God's incredible creation. If you're visiting South Dakota, Custer State Park isn't just worth seeing--it's an experience you'll remember for a lifetime. We can't wait to return.

This place should be a national park, in my opinion!…read more Going in to it with an open mind is important--wild animals are, in fact, wild and can't be predicted or controlled! That being said, you're almost guaranteed to see SOMETHING. We were lucky enough to get stuck in a bison jam, see the burros and a number of deer and prongtails. Get up early or take a drive around dusk if you miss the wildlife during the day. It's a beautiful, diverse park. Needles highway is a must do and is so cool to see the rock formations. Starting after the wildlife loop and driving to Sylvan Lake was amazing and the lake offered a great break from the car. We wish we would have planned for more time at the lake and come prepared with swimsuits, etc! Even if just visiting for a day, I think the $25 park entrance fee is worth it. But if you have the time, plan to take your time and spend more than one day here!

We were just driving by and noticed how inviting this park looked even in the midst of all the…read moreconstruction.. We were just drawn to it. It offers nice view and an awe inspiring jealousy of the guy on the hillside. I wanted to knock on their door just to see if they would let me on the deck. It is well done and spacious and isn't crowded at all, even if though were were there around bike week.

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.

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.