JUNE VISITATION AT BADLANDS NATIONAL PARK DOWN

For the month of June, visitation to Badlands National Park was down 20% with 194,321 visitors counted. June of 2001 saw 242,774 visitors. For the year 2001, visitation is down 14% with 353,963 visits posted. “I keep getting asked if the cost of gas is keeping away,” notes Chief of Resource Education Marianne Mills. “I can’t say why people aren’t coming – I only have contact with those who do arrive. For the most part, the summer is running very smoothly – just with fewer people.” Use of the park’s main visitor center at Cedar Pass, the Ben Reifel Visitor Center, is down over 25% from last year.

Road construction activities continue with the White River Valley Overlook, Bigfoot Pass Picnic Area and Yellow Mounds Overlook closed until further notice as staging areas for heavy equipment during the rehabilitation of the Badlands Loop Road. Additionally, the Fossil Exhibit Trail parking area and Big Badlands Overlook are occasionally closed to visitors as the parking areas are reconfigured and paved. For week day road condition and closure reports, contact (605) 433 – 5361. The overlooks and repaired or reconfigured road surfaces should be paved by late August.

For more information on Badlands National Park and its activities, contact (605) 433 – 5245 and request a copy of the Prairie Preamble, the park’s activity guide. Virtual visitors will find extensive information at http://www.nps.gov/badl Click on IN DEPTH to reach the park’s expanded website.