Field Trips

A park ranger leading a group of students through the park.
A park ranger leads a group of students through the park.

NPS Photo

Bring your students to Badlands National Park to experience the prairie ecosystem, geology, history, and ancient fossils found in the rock layers.

Park rangers are available to lead groups on guided hikes or in a ranger talk. Park rangers can work with you to create a field trip itinerary that includes hiking, curriculum related activities, and to meet your desired learning outcomes.

Following the field trip, groups are welcome to explore the rest of the park on their own, picnic in designated picnic areas, and explore the Ben Reifel Visitor Center.



Badlands National Park provides:

  • Opportunity to learn in a National Park with a program focused on the geology of the Badlands, prairie animal adaptations, or naturalist skills.
  • One ranger for every 25 students (not including chaperones).
  • (Optional) One active learning exercise that lasts at least 20 minutes and relates to the purpose of the visit.
  • Fee waiver for educational groups.

Reservations
Submit a reservation request to
e-mail us at least two weeks before the field trip. This allows time for fee waiver forms (see below) to be submitted and for the group to complete pre-visit lessons. Groups of 30-60 students can be accomodated and there is a 1 park ranger to 25 students (not including chaperones) ratio.

What to Bring

Badlands is a spectacular park any time of year. Each season brings its own challenges and ways to be prepared for a visit. Before you arrive at the park, be sure to check that:

  • All participants must wear closed-toed shoes and be dressed appropriately for the weather.
  • Bring water! Water is also available to fill a reusable water bottle inside the Ben Reifel Visitor Center.
  • Protect yourself from the sun. There is not a lot of shelter throughout the park. Hats and sunscreen are highly recommended.
 

Field Trip Requests and Academic Fee Waivers for Educational Groups

Fee waivers are available to bona fide schools which allows for free entrance for students, teachers, and a limited number of chaperones. Waivers should be completed and delivered to the park two weeks prior to your visit.
A fee waiver is not necessary for classroom visits and distance learning programs.

Academic Fee Waivers

Academic Fee Waivers will automatically be submitted to our Fee Program Manager (badl_permits@nps.gov) and Education Specialist (see below).
Please submit a minimum of two weeks before the date of your planned trip.

Field Trips

Contact the Education Specialist at BADL_Education_Specialist@nps.gov or (605) 433-5244 for more information, to plan, or to learn more.

NPS Form 10-1750 (Rev. 04/2021)
National Park Service

OMB Control No. 1024-0228
Expiration Date 11/31/2025

Disclaimer:

A park representative will follow-up to confirm group details once this request has been received and reviewed.


NPS Form 10-1750 (Rev. 04/2021)
National Park Service

OMB Control No. 1024-0228
Expiration Date 11/31/2025

Notices

Privacy Act Statement

Authority: Public Law 114-289 National Park Service Centennial Act and 54 U.S.C. 100701 Protection, interpretation, and research in System.

Purpose: To administer education programs for education audiences including but not limited to school groups, scouting groups, extracurricular groups, and home school groups.

Routine Uses: To effectively manage requests for education received by the NPS, the Education Reservation Request Form is used to collect basic education reservation information to facilitate operational aspects of scheduling groups for park education programs, including in-park education programs, ranger in classroom programs, and/or online distance learning programs.

Disclosure: Voluntary, however, failure to provide the requested information may impede the ability to grant your education reservation request.

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

We are collecting this information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501) to provide park managers and educators the information needed to schedule and conduct education program activities. All applicable parts of the form must be completed in order for your request to be considered. You are not required to respond to this or any other Federal agency-sponsored information collection unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. OMB has approved this collection of information and assigned control number 1024-0288.

Estimated Burden Statement

Public reporting for this collection of information is estimated to average 5 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the Information Collection Clearance Officer, National Park Service, 1201 Oakridge Drive, Fort Collins, CO 80525. Do not send your completed form to this address.

Last updated: May 3, 2024

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Contact Info

Mailing Address:

25216 Ben Reifel Road
Interior, SD 57750

Phone:

605 433-5361

Contact Us