VISITATION TO SOUTH DAKOTA'S LARGEST NATIONAL PARK IS UP WHILE INTERSTATE 90 CONSTRUCTION OCCURS AT NORTHEAST ENTRANCE (EXIT 131)

VISITATION TO SOUTH DAKOTA'S LARGEST NATIONAL PARK IS UP WHILE INTERSTATE 90 CONSTRUCTION OCCURS AT NORTHEAST ENTRANCE (EXIT 131)

Visitation at Badlands National Park is up 2.5% over 2001 figures, according to traffic counted at park entrance stations; however, visitation for the month of May was down 7.4% over 2001. From January through May, 2002, 113,107 visits were recorded at the park, compared to 110,345 for the same period last year. 57,710 visitors came through the three entrance gates in May, down from 62,330 last year. Overall, visitation seems to be very similar with last year, notes Public Information Officer Marianne Mills. Attendance at ranger programs is up while use of the visitor center is slightly down from last year, indicating that people are enjoying the mild spring to summer weather outside rather than indoors.

Road construction on Interstate 90 has created some confusion for visitors to the park. Exit 131 (Cactus Flat or the Northeast Entrance) is under roadwork by the State of South Dakota Department of Transportation through mid-July. Current traffic redirection causes westbound traffic exiting the park to travel east to exit 142, then backtrack on Interstate 90.

Any traffic exiting the Interstate at Exit 131 and driving south should be aware that the north-south route (Highway 240) leads to Badlands National Park, which collects a $10 entrance fee for passenger vehicles entering the park. There is no construction "bypass" through the park.