BADLANDS NATIONAL PARK

SOUTH DAKOTA

South Dakota's Badlands National Park consists of 244,000 acres of sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles and spires surrounded by the largest protected mixed-grass prairie in the NPS. Over 11,000 years of human prehistory and history can be found within the sod layers while 30-65 million-year-old fossils erode out of the rocks. Known locally to the Lakota Sioux as "mako sica" the area was first called "badlands" by early French trappers due to the difficulty of travel and the lack of water. In this semi-arid land of extremes, park visitors can experience rich and varied native plant and animal communities along with spectacular geologic scenery, fossils and human history of the area.

DID YOU KNOW

• The Badlands Wilderness Area includes 2 management units and covers 64,000 acres in the northern portion of the park.
• The 133,000-acre South Unit of the park is located within Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and managed in cooperation with the Oglala Sioux Tribe.
• Established as Badlands National Monument in 1939, the area was redesignated a "National Park" in 1978.
• Badlands National Park contains rich Oligocene epoch fossil beds, dating 23 to 35 million years ago. The rock layers hold the fossilized remains of early mammals such as three-toed horses, housecat sized deer, rhinoceros, saber-toothed cats, camels, and giant pigs.
• Badlands National Park has two International Sister Parks: Vashlovani National Park in the country of Georgia and Hortobagy National Park in Hungary.
• "Badlands" is the type-site for the geologic term badlands, which refers to similarly eroded landscapes around the world.

DON'T MISS ATTRACTIONS

• See paleontology in action at the "Pig Dig" as park staff and South Dakota School of Mines and Technology students work during the summer. Visitors to the Conata Picnic Area can watch paleontologists removing 33 million year-old fossils that were trapped in an ancient watering hole.
• Enjoy spectacular scenery, opportunities for wildlife viewing, wayside exhibits, and trails along Badlands Loop Road.
• Take a backcountry hike in the Badlands Wilderness to explore the prairie and rock formations.

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE PRIORITIES

A number of important projects are underway at Badlands National Park, including projects to improve visitor services and protect natural resources. For example, in spring 2004, the park will upgrade the interior of the existing Ben Reifel Visitor Center at Cedar Pass. This redesign will retain the historic Mission 66 exterior, but add an education classroom, modern exhibits, accessible restrooms, new HVAC, and an auditorium for park visitors.

Park managers are also committed to protecting park resources, including the park's Class I Airshed classification. Badlands National Park is actively partnering with other agencies to ensure that the current conditions are maintained for the benefit of park visitors and resources. Managers are also focused on the park's wildlife. Thirty swift fox were released in the north unit of Badlands National Park in September 2003. This reintroduction is the first of three scheduled over the next three years towards the eventual goal of creating a resident, self-sustaining population. In the 1960s the park reintroduced bison and bighorn sheep and more recently the black-footed ferret.

Finally, the park continues to use fire to restore the prairie with prescribed burns like the Campground Burn in 2003. Management objectives for prescribed burns include reduction of non-native plant species, enhancement of native plant species, and habitat restoration. These activities ensure a healthy environment for the benefit of the visiting public and the park's wildlife.

Radio-collared swift fox held in an acclimation pen prior to release.

Click a photo to view larger version.

LINKS:

Badlands National Park Home Page»

Partnering & Managing for Excellence Report»