Big Badlands Overlook

Badlands formations erode at a rate of one inch a year, meaning they only have 500,000 years left!

NPS Photo / Serena Rosales

Quick Facts

Location:

Wall, SD

Significance:

Big Badlands Overlook provides the opportunity to view the eastern portion of the Badlands wall.

Amenities

5 listed

Accessible Sites, Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Parking - Auto, Parking - Bus/RV, Scenic View/Photo Spot

Big Badlands Overlook provides the opportunity to view the eastern portion of the Badlands wall, and erosional feature that expands from near the town Kadoka (east) to the town of Wall (west). On clearer days, you can see Eagle Nest Butte rising in the southeast horizon, which is situated next to the town of Wanblee, South Dakota. This view shows the lower units of the Badlands Formations. The reddish stripes of the Brule Formation (Scenic Member; Oligocene Epoch, 33.7-32.0 million years ago) dominates the view. The darker gray beds near the base of the outcrops are the older Chadron Formation (Peanut Peak Member; Eocene Epoch, 35.0-33.7 million years ago).