Thing to Do

Spotting Wildlife in the Badlands

Badlands National Park

a bighorn sheep pops its head up and over tall green grasses.

Looking for wildlife in the Badlands? Animals both big and small can be found throughout the park, and getting a glimpse of them can be very exciting. If you do come across wildlife during your visit, keep in mind that these animals are wild and can be dangerous if approached.

Bison are best seen from Sage Creek Rim Road, which overlooks the Badlands Wilderness Area where they live. Bighorn Sheep are often seen on the rocky precipices of Pinnacles Overlook and in Cedar Pass areas like Castle Trail and Big Badlands Overlook. Prairie dog towns exist throughout the park and can be viewed from the road at Burns Basin Overlook, Roberts Prairie Dog Town, and Sage Creek Campground. Locations for other wildlife (such as deer, coyotes, or snakes) are variable, so keep your eyes peeled – they may be just around the corner!

Details
Activity
Wildlife Watching

Pets are permitted in Badlands National Park with some restrictions. Pets must be kept on a leash no more than six feet in length at all times. Pets are only permitted in developed areas, such as campgrounds and picnic areas, and other areas open to motor vehicles, such as gravel and paved roadways, roadway corridors, and parking lots. Pets are prohibited from hiking trails, public buildings (i.e. visitor centers), and backcountry areas, including the Badlands Wilderness Area, and areas with prairie dog colonies. Pet etiquette dictates always cleaning up animal waste and disposing of it in trash receptacles.

Entrance fees may apply, see Fees & Passes information.
Reservations
No
Season
Year Round
Time of Day
Day, Dawn, Dusk
Accessibility Information

Most wildlife viewing in Badlands National Park can be done from the comfort of your car. Many overlooks from which wildlife can be seen are wheelchair accessible.

Badlands National Park

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a bighorn sheep's head appears above a swath of tall green grasses.
With thousands of wild animals calling the Badlands home, there are plenty of opportunities to see wildlife during your visit.

NPS Photo / Larry McAfee

In the lists below, you can find articles about Badlands wildlife and common locations in the park where you may see them. Use the navigation bar to check out a specific animal or explore them all!

Bison

Showing results 1-3 of 3
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  • Badlands National Park

    Bison, Buffalo, Tatanka: Bovids of the Badlands

    • Type: Article
    Profile view of a single bison laying in yellow prairie grasses

    The story of the Bison is central to the cultural and scientific heritage of people and their environment in North America. This article discusses these aspects in relationship to South Dakota and Badlands National Park.

  • Badlands National Park

    Drive Sage Creek Rim Road

    • Type: Things To Do
    • Subtype: Scenic Driving
    • Duration: 1-2 Hours
    • Reservations: No
    • Pets: No
    • Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
    • Time Of Day: Day, Night, Dawn, Dusk
    a black car on a dirt road approaches a herd of approximately 20 bison.

    Enjoy views of badlands formations and glimpses of wildlife from Sage Creek Rim Road, one of the dirt roads located in the North Unit of Badlands National Park.

  • Badlands National Park

    Pinnacles Entrance Station

    • Type: Place
    Two tan buildings in the middle of paved road under blue sky.

    One of three entrance stations to Badlands National Park.

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Bighorn Sheep

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  • Badlands National Park

    Bighorn Sheep in the Badlands

    • Type: Article
    a bighorn sheep with a goofy smile and eyes closed

    Bighorn sheep are one of the most iconic Badlands mammals. Learn about their natural history, daily activities, and life in Badlands National Park in this article.

  • Badlands National Park

    Drive Badlands Loop Road (Highway 240)

    • Type: Things To Do
    • Subtype: Scenic Driving
    • Duration: 1-2 Hours
    • Reservations: No
    • Pets: Yes
    • Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
    • Time Of Day: Day, Night, Dawn, Dusk
    a paved road descends into a prairie landscape with buttes in the background.

    Enjoy the sights of Badlands National Park by driving its most popular road -- Badlands Loop Road, also known as Highway 240. Catch beautiful landscapes, informational exhibits, and glimpses of wildlife on this incredible drive.

  • Badlands National Park

    Pinnacles Overlook

    • Type: Place
    A dramatic Badlands landscape consisting of layered, jagged rock extending into prairie landscape.

    One of the most popular overlooks in the park, it provides an opportunity to see unparalleled views of the park's unique geology and dramatic sunsets.

  • Badlands National Park

    Big Badlands Overlook

    • Type: Place
    A wayside exhibit stands at the edge of drop off into badlands formations

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

  • Badlands National Park

    Explore Sheep Mountain Table

    • Type: Things To Do
    • Subtype: Scenic Driving
    • Duration: 1-3 Hours
    • Reservations: No
    • Pets: Yes
    • Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
    • Time Of Day: Day, Night, Dawn, Dusk
    a dirt road leads between the low point of two buttes with a vibrant blue sky ahead.

    Sheep Mountain Table is a great place to enjoy stunning views of the Badlands landscape. Whether you’re a hiker looking for a beautiful trail, a photographer scoping out a sunset spot, or simply a visitor seeking to explore the South Unit, Sheep Mountain Table offers incredible vist

  • Badlands National Park

    Sheep Mountain Table Overlook

    • Type: Place
    Sod layer dramatically falls over into badlands rock with a badlands table in horizon under blue sky

    Sheep Mountain Table is one of the overlooks of Badlands National Park. It provides views of the park's South Unit and the Black Hills. The road to the overlook is not maintained in the winter, and beyond the overlook the road deteriorates and requires high clearance/4WD vehicles.

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Prairie Dogs

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  • Badlands National Park

    Prairie Dogs: Pipsqueaks of the Prairie

    • Type: Article
    Two prairie dogs playing in the grass

    Prairie Dogs' role in prairie ecosystems of the Great Plains

  • Badlands National Park

    Drive Badlands Loop Road (Highway 240)

    • Type: Things To Do
    • Subtype: Scenic Driving
    • Duration: 1-2 Hours
    • Reservations: No
    • Pets: Yes
    • Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
    • Time Of Day: Day, Night, Dawn, Dusk
    a paved road descends into a prairie landscape with buttes in the background.

    Enjoy the sights of Badlands National Park by driving its most popular road -- Badlands Loop Road, also known as Highway 240. Catch beautiful landscapes, informational exhibits, and glimpses of wildlife on this incredible drive.

  • Badlands National Park

    Burns Basin Overlook

    • Type: Place
    A single boardwalk extends out to a bench which sits against a vast landscape under blue sky.

    One of multiple overlooks throughout the park that provides accessible experiences for all visitors to enjoy the park. This one features a boardwalk and a bench overlooking a vast badlands landscape.

  • Badlands National Park

    Quinn Road Prairie Dog Town

    • Type: Place
    Winding dirt road alongside flat green grassy field under blue sky. A wooden sign reads "Quinn Road"

    Quinn Road prairie dog town is one of several prairie dog towns in Badlands National Park.

  • Badlands National Park

    Drive Sage Creek Rim Road

    • Type: Things To Do
    • Subtype: Scenic Driving
    • Duration: 1-2 Hours
    • Reservations: No
    • Pets: No
    • Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
    • Time Of Day: Day, Night, Dawn, Dusk
    a black car on a dirt road approaches a herd of approximately 20 bison.

    Enjoy views of badlands formations and glimpses of wildlife from Sage Creek Rim Road, one of the dirt roads located in the North Unit of Badlands National Park.

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More about Badlands wildlife...

Showing results 1-10 of 15

  • Badlands National Park

    A New Treatment to Control Plague in Wildlife Shows Promise

    • Locations: Badlands National Park
    Prairie dog sitting upright on a dirt mound, surrounded by a vast grassland.

    Experiments with fipronil-laden prairie dog bait suggest the insecticide can be a powerful tool for reducing the "Black Death" in wildlife, especially if integrated with other methods.

  • Badlands National Park

    Bison, Buffalo, Tatanka: Bovids of the Badlands

    • Locations: Badlands National Park
    Profile view of a single bison laying in yellow prairie grasses

    The story of the Bison is central to the cultural and scientific heritage of people and their environment in North America. This article discusses these aspects in relationship to South Dakota and Badlands National Park.

  • Series: Research in Badlands National Park

    • Type: Series
    • Locations: Badlands National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, Theodore Roosevelt National Park,
    two researchers converse over a sheet of paper while a woman to their right uses a microscope.

    Scientists often look to the Badlands as a research subject. Many studies have been conducted in the park on a variety of topics, including paleontology, geology, biology, and archaeology. Learn more about these research topics in this article series.

  • Series: Prairie Ecology of the Badlands

    • Type: Series
    • Locations: Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, Badlands National Park, Devils Tower National Monument, Fort Laramie National Historic Site, Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument,
    roots of tall yellow grasses penetrate into light brown soil beneath a cloudy blue sky.

    Badlands National Park is home to the nation's largest expanse of mixed-grass prairie. Here, plant species from both short-grass and tall-grass prairies mingle to create a unique home, well suited to many animals which call the park home.

  • Series: Wildlife in the Badlands

    • Type: Series
    • Locations: Badlands National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, Theodore Roosevelt National Park,
    Two small, grey young lambs walk down brown badlands slope.

    Ever wonder what kind of wildlife could survive the harsh climate of the Badlands?

  • Badlands National Park

    Badlands Butterflies

    • Locations: Badlands National Park
    an orange and black butterfly with white spots spreads both of its wings while resting on the ground

    Hikers in Badlands National Park often notice butterflies floating through prairie grasses. Learn about the different butterfly species of the Badlands in this article.

  • Badlands National Park

    Prairie Rattlesnakes in the Badlands

    • Locations: Badlands National Park
    a prairie rattlesnake coils up in a defensive posture, with its tongue and tail sticking out.

    Learn about Prairie Rattlesnakes and the role they play in Badlands National Park.

  • Badlands National Park

    Hunting Sky High: Birds of Prey in the Badlands

    • Locations: Badlands National Park
    a hawk flies with its wings spread out and shoulders hunched

    Birds of prey are birds that hunt and eat vertebrate animals as opposed to insects or berries. Learn more about these incredible animals in this article.

  • Badlands National Park

    Bighorn Sheep in the Badlands

    • Locations: Badlands National Park
    a bighorn sheep with a goofy smile and eyes closed

    Bighorn sheep are one of the most iconic Badlands mammals. Learn about their natural history, daily activities, and life in Badlands National Park in this article.

  • Badlands National Park

    Amphibians: Unlikely Inhabitants of the Badlands

    • Locations: Badlands National Park
    a brownish green toad sits in green grasses.

    Although the Badlands seems like an unlikely home for amphibians, the park hosts eight species. Learn more about these critters and their lives in the Badlands in this article.

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Last updated: May 11, 2021