Badlands National Park Safety

Weather

With temperatures that can range from 100+ degrees fahrenheit and severe thunderstorms move in quickly during the summer to blizzards and temperatures well below zero on winter nights, Badlands NP visitors need to be prepared for the seasonal weather.

Exposure

Carry plenty of water (1 gallon per person per day), a hat, appropriate sunscreen, and sunglasses. Also consider that the park can be very windy.

Wildlife

The animals in the park are less of a threat to visitors who pay them the proper respect. However, ending up on the wrong end of a bison can mean a hospital stay or death for the park visitor. Visitors should also be wary of the poisonous (but seldom deadly) prairie rattlesnakes, a subspecies of the rattlesnake.

Prickly pear cactus

These small cacti hide in the prairie grass. Wear shoes with thick soles and watch you step. If their flowers are blooming, they are easier to spot.

Water

There is no potable water in the park except at the visitor centers. Boiling, filtering, or treating with chemicals does not make the water drinkable.

Getting lost

The vast areas of the park off the established trails or out of the designated areas can become very confusing. Good map reading and land navigation skills required.

Unexploded ordnance

The Stronghold unit has any number of unexploded bombs and shells left over from the 1940s when the United States Air Force used the land as a gunnery range. When exploring the area keep an eye out. Do not touch any unexploded ordnance. Note the location and notify park rangers as soon as possible.

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