Virtual Field Trips

Plan a virtual field trip to Badlands National Park!

Virtual field trips provide students with an in-depth look at fossils, wildlife, and ecosystems. Our rangers facilitate virtual programs that can be conducted in a classroom on individual devices or all-on-one device. Programs are booked for 1 hour time frames, providing 45 minutes of instruction and 15 minutes for Q&A.

Our current virtual field trip offerings are:

Fossil Express

Grade Levels 3rd
Curriculum Standards 3-LS4-4, 3-LS4-1
Essential Question How does studying fossils help us understand our environment?
Program Description Fossils give us clues about Earth’s past including the kinds of organisms that lived in the past, how the environment changed, and how organisms have changed. Discover what it means to be a paleontologist and the importance of finding fossils. Using observation skills and viewing fossils, students will learn about ancient animals and compare them with modern day animals.
Bison Banquet
Grade Levels 4th
Curriculum Standards 4.H.1.1
Essential Question Why was the bison the most important mammal to North America?
Program Description Bison have had a great importance to Great Plains ecosystem and to the people who lived within it. Discover more about these amazing creatures, how they supported Native people for thousands of years, and how their decline changed an ecosystem.

Ancient Ecosystems
Grade Levels 3rd-4th; Middle, and High School
Curriculum Standards 3-LS4-1, 3-LS4-4, 4-ESS1-1, 4-ESS2-1; MS-ESS2-3, MS-ESS2-2, 7.G.4.1; HS-ESS2-4
Essential Question What can characteristics of fossils and geology tell us?
Program Description Some kinds of plants and animals that once lived on Earth are no longer found anywhere. Discover how rocks can tell us about history and explore the ancient ecosystems of Badlands.


If you’re interested in scheduling a virtual field trip, you can use the Education Reservation Request Form and return the form over email to e-mail us

You may also send an e-mail to the
Badlands Education Specialist with the following information:

Proposed date with program start and end time, include Mountain Standard Time (Denver)
Program of Interest
Grade Level
Number of students
Name of school
Location of school
Contact info for teacher(s)
Desired outcomes for the session
Web conferencing link to connect with your class (i.e. Zoom, Google Meet, etc.).


Questions – contact the education specialist at e-mail us or (605) 433-5244 with any questions you have related to content, scheduling, or connecting.

Last updated: May 23, 2023

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Contact Info

Mailing Address:

25216 Ben Reifel Road
Interior, SD 57750

Phone:

605 433-5361

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