Badlands National Park is well-known for its geology and paleontology. Fossils found in the park range from 75- to 28-million years old and many are in excellent condition. The flat-lying layers of the park's formation represent classic sedimentary rock layers.
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Badlands National Park
Article 1: Geologic Formations: How Badlands Buttes Came to Be
Badlands buttes contain millions of years of history. Learn how these formation came to be and what kind of stories are preserved within them. Read more
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Badlands National Park
Article 2: NPS Geodiversity Atlas—Badlands National Park, South Dakota
Each park-specific page in the NPS Geodiversity Atlas provides basic information on the significant geologic features and processes occurring in the park. Links to products from Baseline Geologic and Soil Resources Inventories provide access to maps and reports. [Site Under Development] Read more
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Badlands National Park
Article 3: Clastic Dikes: Backbones of the Badlands
Why don't the jagged peaks of Badlands formations crumble with new rainfall? Because they are held up by geologic features called clastic dikes, which have puzzled geologists for centuries. Learn more about these curious rock features in this article! Read more
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Badlands National Park
Article 4: A Sod Story: Ancient Prairies of the Badlands
Curious about why certain patches of prairie sit above the rest? Read this article to learn more about sod tables and why they're important in Badlands National Park today. Read more
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Badlands National Park
Article 5: Paleontology in the White River Badlands
Oreodonts are one of the most common fossils found in Badlands National Park. Read this article to learn more about this ancient mammal. Read more
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Badlands National Park
Article 6: Good Times in the Badlands—Science, Education, and Public Interpretation in a Unique Fossil Preparation Lab
Following the discovery of a significant saber tooth cat-like skull (Hoplophoneus primaevus, Family: Nimravidae) in 2012, the Badlands Fossil Preparation Lab opened to the visiting public to showcase fossil preparation work. Read more
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Article 7: Women & Paleontology in the Badlands
Although Badlands National Park is proud to employ many female paleontologists today, this scientific field was not always accepting of women. In this article, learn about how women's roles in paleontology have changed over years of Badlands research. Read more
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Badlands National Park
Article 8: Mosasaur: Apex Predator of the Western Interior Seaway
Mosasaurs were marine reptiles which once swam through the ancient warm waters of South Dakota. Learn more about these fascinating creatures in this article. Read more
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Badlands National Park
Article 9: The Big Pig Dig
The Big Pig Dig was one of the longest paleontology digs in Badlands National Park, recovering almost 20,000 fossils. Read more
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Badlands National Park
Article 10: Brontothere: Large beasts of the Badlands
A short article about brontotheres -- an extinct mammal -- and their significance in the fossil record. Read more
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Badlands National Park
Article 11: Nimravid: Saber-toothed Hunter of the Badlands
Nimravids, false saber-tooth cats, would have prowled the Badlands millions of years ago. One of their skulls was found by a 7 year-old visitor named Kylie Ferguson. Read more
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Badlands National Park
Article 12: Oreodont: Ancient Grazer of the Badlands
An overview of the significance and science behind the oreodont fossils found in the Badlands Read more