We drove the gravel Sage Creek Rim Road from its junction with Badlands Loop Road at MP 26.9 west to the park boundary. The mile markers on the road begin from this intersection at its eastern terminus. This scenic drive is the northern boundary of the Badlands Wilderness Area of the park. While it has the benefits of very little traffic and potential views of the bison herd, it really can't compete with the vistas seen from the Badlands Loop Road. We explored the 12.9 mile route in August 2017.
Roadside Vistas
Hay Butte Overlook (MP 1.0)
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| Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis) grazing on both sides of the road |
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| Hay Butte nearly on the horizon |
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| Antler Butte with Hay Butte in the distance |
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| Solitary bison (Bison bison) |
Badlands Wilderness Overlook (MP 1.7)
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| Roadside prairie |
Roberts Prairie Dog Town (MP 4.5)
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| Black-Tailed Prairie Dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) |
Sage Creek Basin Overlook (MP 5.9)
Roadside Vistas
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| Another solitary bison |
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| Bridge over Sage Creek (MP 11.0) |
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| A final bison |
An entrance fee of $20 admits all the passengers of a single vehicle for seven consecutive days to Badlands National Park. A fee of $10 applies to motorcyclists. Other entrance fee options include a Badlands National Park Annual Pass for $40, an Every Kid in a Park 4th Grade Pass for free, and a variety of America the Beautiful - National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Passes providing access to most national park, national forest, and BLM fee areas
- Annual Pass for $80
- Military Pass for free
- Lifetime Senior Pass for $80 or $20 annually for those age 62 and older
- Access Pass for free for visitors with a permanent disability
The park website is
https://www.nps.gov/badl.
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