Badlands Natural History Association

Badlands Natural History Association A proud non-profit partner for Badlands National Park, since 1959. www.badlandsnha.org

🌲 Cliff Shelf Nature TrailLife is better in hiking boots... especially when they lead somewhere this beautiful.📍 0.86 mi...
09/01/2026

🌲 Cliff Shelf Nature Trail

Life is better in hiking boots... especially when they lead somewhere this beautiful.

📍 0.86 miles round trip
🥾 Moderate
🌲 Boardwalks • Stairs • Juniper Forest • Scenic Views

Are you looking for a trail that’s a little different? Cliff Shelf Nature Trail winds through shady juniper trees, over boardwalks, up stairways, and along natural paths, climbing about 200 feet to reveal a whole new perspective of the Badlands.

🌿 Keep your eyes (and ears!) open—you might spot a songbird, soaring hawk, or other wildlife enjoying this peaceful oasis.

Before you hit the trail—or after you’ve conquered it—stop by the Badlands Natural History Association store inside the Ben Reifel Visitor Center. Whether you’re searching for a bird guide, a night sky guide, or the perfect Badlands souvenir, every purchase helps support Badlands National Park and its educational programs. 💚

What’s your favorite thing to discover on a hike: birds, wildflowers, wildlife, or amazing views? Let us know in the comments!

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08/31/2026

Closure Notice #26-002

Closures, restrictions, and public use limits: Under the authority provided to the Superintendent in 36 CFR 1.5 (a)(1), the following park areas and facilities are closed, effective: 12:01 AM on Monday August 31 2026 and until further notice:

• Notch Trail and all areas within 100’ of the designated trail

Notice: This administrative order applies to all individuals subject to the regulatory authority of the National Park Service (NPS) within the boundaries of Badlands National Park, including park visitors, government employees, concession employees, park residents and stakeholders.

Finding: The NPS issues this administrative order for the purposes of maintaining public health and safety and protecting park resources.

• During the closure period, Park staff will be repairing the section of the Notch trail ladder that has become a safety hazard for hikers.

Approved: Eric Veach, Superintendent

🥾 Calling all Junior Rangers! 🥾It’s time to celebrate the next generation of park explorers! National Park Week: Junior ...
08/30/2026

🥾 Calling all Junior Rangers! 🥾

It’s time to celebrate the next generation of park explorers! National Park Week: Junior Ranger Day is here.

From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., join rangers at the Ben Reifel Visitor Center for a day packed with fun, learning, and plenty of opportunities to discover what makes the Badlands so special.

⏰Morning Activities:
9:00–9:45 AM — Wildlife of the Park; Puzzle Pieces of the Badlands
10:00–11:30 AM — Sundials & Bird Migration Activities
11:30 AM — Junior Ranger Swearing-In Ceremony

⏰Afternoon Activities:
1:00–1:45 PM — Fun Fossil Activity (with Park Paleontologists)
2:00–2:45 PM — Layers of the Badlands Geology Activity
3:00 PM — Junior Ranger Swearing-In Ceremony

Young explorers can dive into activities, learn more about the park, discover its fascinating geology and wildlife, and celebrate what it means to be a Junior Ranger. And, of course, no Junior Ranger Day would be complete without the official Junior Ranger swearing-in ceremonies. 🎉

✨At Badlands Natural History Association, we’re proud to support the next generation of park explorers through educational programs, books, activities, and resources that help visitors connect with this amazing landscape.

Because today’s Junior Ranger might just be tomorrow’s Park Ranger, scientist, educator, or conservation champion. 💚

Bring your curiosity. Bring your sense of adventure. Bring your future Junior Ranger! 🥾🔎

Thankful Thursday in the Badlands! 💛There’s a LOT to be thankful for around here—and it goes way beyond the fossils! 😉🧢 ...
08/27/2026

Thankful Thursday in the Badlands! 💛

There’s a LOT to be thankful for around here—and it goes way beyond the fossils! 😉

🧢 Our Park Staff — from rangers and maintenance crews to interpretive staff, resource specialists, visitor services, law enforcement, and everyone working behind the scenes: thank you! You protect this special place, care for its resources, share its stories, keep the park running, and help make every visit a memorable one. You’re the real MVPs of Badlands National Park!

🥾 Our Volunteers — for giving their time, energy, ideas, and countless smiles to help care for this special landscape.

📸 Our Visitors — for exploring the trails, watching the wildlife, marveling at the formations, and reminding us why this place is worth protecting.

📚 Badlands Natural History Association — We are especially thankful for our staff who travel from near and far to spend their summer with us. We’re thankful to be part of the Badlands team! Through your purchases and support, BNHA helps fund education, interpretation, research, and preservation projects at Badlands National Park. Every souvenir purchased through our store goes back to support the park!

Today, we’re raising a (water) bottle to the people who make the Badlands special:

Park staff. Volunteers. Visitors. Supporters. YOU. ❤️

Thanks for being part of the Badlands story!

NPS/BNHA Photos

🎉 HAPPY 110TH BIRTHDAY, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE!We are Celebrating 110 years of protecting the places that tell America’s ...
08/25/2026

🎉 HAPPY 110TH BIRTHDAY, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE!

We are Celebrating 110 years of protecting the places that tell America’s story in true National Park style: outside, together, and FREE!

From towering mountains to wild coastlines, historic battlefields to wide-open prairies, the National Park Service has spent 110 years caring for some of the most incredible places in the country.

✨ 110 years of adventure
🦅 110 years of protecting wildlife
🌎 110 years of preserving America’s stories
🥾 110 years of helping people connect with their parks
❤️ And 110 years of making memories that last a lifetime

🎟️ Entrance fees are FREE today, August 25, 2026!
So come celebrate the National Park Service’s birthday with us, at Badlands National Park!

BNHA/NPS Photo

08/22/2026

It’s National Park Week! We’re excited to celebrate some of the amazing achievements at Badlands National Park this year.

Last month, we hosted our annual AstroFest as a special Freedom/America 250 event, and we were proud to receive the International Dark Sky Association’s Dark Sky Park Award—making Badlands the first internationally recognized Dark Sky Park in South Dakota.

If you’re visiting the Badlands, there’s still plenty to see and explore! We continue to offer daily and evening ranger programs. For the latest schedule, please check our website or the NPS app.

We also have special events for National Park Week:

• Safety Sunday — August 22:
9 AM–3 PM at the Door/Widow/Notch parking area: Safety Sunday Search and Rescue Learning Station, featuring equipment, demos, and ranger‑led discussions.
2 PM at the Ben Reifel Visitor Center: guest speaker Jeff Tillery on Bighorn Sheep and Disease Management.

• NPS Birthday — August 25:
Celebrate the National Park Service’s 110th birthday with free entry to Badlands and all national parks!

• Junior Ranger Day — August 30:
9 AM–3 PM activities at the Ben Reifel Visitor Center, with swearing‑in ceremonies at 11:30 AM and 3 PM.

Stay tuned for more National Park Week fun—we hope to see you soon in Badlands National Park!

NPS Image

08/22/2026

It's National Park Week! Let’s celebrate the places that tell America’s story. 🎉

From the rugged landscape of Badlands National Park to the mountains, forests, coastlines, deserts, and historic places protected across the National Park System, our national parks preserve some of the most incredible stories and landscapes in the country.

Here in the Badlands, those stories are written in the rocks. Millions of years of geologic history, ancient fossils, Indigenous connections, wildlife, and generations of visitors all come together to make this place truly one of a kind.

The Badlands Natural History Association (BNHA) is proud to support Badlands National Park through education, interpretation, research, and preservation. Purchases from the BNHA bookstore and website help fund programs and projects throughout the park—from Junior Ranger activities and fossil programs to paleontology, wildlife research, exhibits, archives, and support for students and volunteers.

So, this National Park Week, get outside, explore something new, learn a little history, and celebrate the parks that belong to all of us. 🥾🌎❤️

And if your adventure brings you to the Badlands, stop by and say hello!

Happy National Park Week! 🎉
Celebrate America’s Story. Find Your Park. Protect Your Parks.

Come and learn all things bighorn! Jeff has done great work here at the park.
08/20/2026

Come and learn all things bighorn! Jeff has done great work here at the park.

On Tuesdays, we wear hiking boots.🦴 Fossil Exhibit Trail🥾 0.34-mile loop♿ Fully accessible boardwalk👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Perfect for ...
08/04/2026

On Tuesdays, we wear hiking boots.
🦴 Fossil Exhibit Trail
🥾 0.34-mile loop
♿ Fully accessible boardwalk
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Perfect for all ages!

Looking for a quick adventure packed with prehistoric fun? The Fossil Exhibit Trail is the perfect stop! This 0.34-mile easy loop features a fully accessible boardwalk where you can learn about fossils of incredible animals that roamed the Badlands millions of years ago.

It's a favorite for families, curious kids, budding paleontologists, and anyone who loves discovering the stories hidden in the rocks.

🦴Who would you bring on this prehistoric adventure? Tag your favorite hiking buddy below! 👇

🛍️Purchase a copy of the BNP Geologic Flip Chart in the BNHA Store. Discover the different layers of the Badlands and fossils found in each layer. We are located in the Ben Reifel Visitor Center, or you can purchase your copy online at www.badlandsnha.org

Happy World Ranger Day to the best co-workers a park partner could ask for. We get to appreciate you daily! We are proud...
07/31/2026

Happy World Ranger Day to the best co-workers a park partner could ask for. We get to appreciate you daily! We are proud to be a hub supporting the many spokes of the Ranger wheel! Hats off to you.

Address

20695 SD Highway 240
Interior, SD
57750

Telephone

+16054335489

Website

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