EARLY WINTER BRINGS VISITORS TO SOUTH DAKOTA'S LARGEST NATIONAL PARK ; HOLIDAY CLOSURES NOTED

Visitation to Badlands National Park for November, 2002 was up 30% over 2001 figures with 20,693 visitors counted at park entrance stations. Visitation for 2002 continues to be down nearly 5% over last year with 966,550 visitors tallied from January through November, 2002. Use of the Ben Reifel Visitor Center continues to be higher than last year with a 28% increase posted. Most visitors to the park in November focused their visit on the Badlands Loop Road, a State Scenic Byway, and the park visitor center. Few hikers explored the trails other than the developed trails at the Door and Window area and the Cliff Shelf Nature Trail.

It's a great place to be right now if you're looking for some solitude and expanses, says Chief of Resource Education Marianne Mills. Of course, we are still part of South Dakota and have the wonderfully variable weather that goes with the Great Plains but we are still having sunny days in the 50s so people should head on out to explore our 243,000 acres for themselves. The park is open 365 days a year, 24 hours per day. Entrance fees can be paid at a self-pay station located outside the Ben Reifel Visitor Center. The Ben Reifel Visitor Center will close at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, December 24 and remain closed through Christmas Day. It will reopen for visitors at 9 a.m. on Thursday, December 26. The Visitor Center will also be closed on Wednesday, January 1 for New Years Day. However, the park itself will be open to visitors; just the visitor center facility will be closed. Restrooms are always available at the Door/Window Trail, Ben Reifel Visitor Center, Fossil Exhibit Trail, Conata Picnic Area, and Bigfoot Pass Picnic Area. Additionally, the Cedar Pass Campground and Sage Creek Campgrounds are also open to campers on a first-come, first-served basis. Sage Creek Campground is free and offers a primitive camping experience while Cedar Pass Campground has vault toilets. For more information, contact (605) 433 - 5245.