Badlands Overlook - Scenic Loop Drive - Theodore Roosevelt National Park

At the time of our visit in May 2021, a 4.5-mile segment of the Scenic Loop Drive had been closed for two years. Theodore Roosevelt National Park issued the following press release on May 1, 2019:

A 4.5 mile section of the Scenic Loop Drive in the South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park is closed to motor vehicles indefinitely due to erosion failure. The south side of the loop road is closed from the mile 7 closure gate to the Badlands Overlook at mile 11.5.

Roads in the park are frequently in need of repair, as the Badlands erode easily. There is currently no estimate for the length of time of the road closure. An emergency repair funding request has been submitted through the National Park Service road repair program.

“Constant erosion of the soft rock and soils of the Badlands has given us fantastic scenery,” said Chief of Interpretation Eileen Andes. “The geology of the area also poses challenges in maintaining our infrastructure, especially our roads.”

Oversized vehicles may be difficult to turn around in smaller pullouts. Signs, posted information, and the park’s website and social media will notify drivers of areas where oversized or towed vehicles are not permitted. Visitors traveling through the park’s South Unit will be asked to unhook trailers and park them in designated areas. The public is encouraged to inquire at park visitor centers for further information and current road conditions.

We stopped at the Badlands Overlook, almost 24 miles from the visitor center. Immediately beyond the overlook, Scenic Loop Drive was barricaded and closed. The pullout for the overlook has been used as part of the temporary cul-de-sac circle used for turning around, but still allows space for one handicap-placarded vehicle and about six passenger vehicles. The overlook has been renovated since our previous visit with a stacked stone retaining wall, a concrete sidewalk with two curb cuts, and an informational sign. Theodore Roosevelt is quoted on the sign, "This broken country extends back from the river many miles, and has been called always, by Indians, French voyagers, and American trappers alike, the 'Bad Lands'.

Infrastructure improvements

An entry fee of $30 per vehicle, $25 per motorcycle, or $15 per person is valid for seven consecutive days at Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Other fee payment options include the America the Beautiful - National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands passes including the Annual Pass ($80), Senior Pass ($80 for a lifetime), Access Pass (free with a documented disability), and Military Annual Pass (free for active-duty personnel). Also available is a Theodore Roosevelt National Park Annual Park Pass for $55.

The Theodore Roosevelt National Park website is https://www.nps.gov/thro/index.htm.