Badlands from Custer?

[reubenray]

Is this doable or not for a daytrip?

[SailorSam]

You're looking at a 120 +/- mile drive one way. Also, it will depend on how much you want to see. Most folks who go to Badlands also stop at Wall Drugs. The store is a big tourist trap with lots of little shops, you can run thru or spend several hours inside. At Badlands, you can just drive thru and admire from your vehicle or get out at several stops for short to extensive hikes. Also in the Badlands area are Nike missile sites. You can sign up to tour one of the command bunkers for the missiles (costs $8 pp), note that only 6 or 8 people can go on any scheduled tour and they sell out pretty quickly, so sign-up early to get a spot. If you don't do the bunker tour, there is a regular museum (free) that can take an hour or so to go thru.

For our visit last year, we stayed a couple of days at Badlands Motel and Campground (FHU). The campground in the park also looked nice but W/E only.

[Busskipper]

Originally Posted by reubenray

Is this doable or not for a daytrip?

Long drive but easily doable.

Lot of other more beautiful ways to spend a Day in the Black Hills.

https://www.blackhillsvacations.com/.../scenic-drives

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&...4dUDCAY&uact=5

https://matadornetwork.com/read/6-mo...rapid-city-sd/

Needles - Custer SP - Sylvan Lake - Jewel Cave - Rushmore at Sunset - usually connected with the coming or going - Badlands - Devils Tower.

More than most can do in a week - just the drives are all Beautiful.

Enjoy the area,

[reubenray]

I was able to juggle some non-reserved stops to stay 2 nights at the Badlands KOA. Between the 5 nights at Custer plus these 2 nights I should be able to see a lot of this part of South Dakota. In my mind I was thinking the Black Hills and the Badlands were the same until I got the South Dakota vacation guide today.

[Busskipper]

Originally Posted by reubenray

I was able to juggle some non-reserved stops to stay 2 nights at the Badlands KOA. Between the 5 nights at Custer plus these 2 nights I should be able to see a lot of this part of South Dakota. In my mind I was thinking the Black Hills and the Badlands were the same until I got the South Dakota vacation guide today.

https://www.blackhillsbadlands.com/maps

This link might help the Badlands and the Black Hills are not even close to the same.

https://www.google.com/search?q=blac...w=1536&bih=762

https://www.google.com/search?q=Badl...h=762&dpr=1.25

One's Granite Mountains and the Other is a Washed out Plains.

I'm a mountain guy - so it just depends what you like.

[twogypsies]

Personally, I'd do it as a day trip; not 2 nights. 50 years ago we 'did' Wall Drugs and vowed never again. Just doing the loop drive through the park will give you enough of the Badlands.

If that's the way you're leaving to head back east you could easily do that loop while driving your RV. It starts near Wall Drug and ends farther east at the interstate. Begin at Exit 110; end at Exit 131. The national park site will give you a map.

https://www.nps.gov/badl/index.htm

[Busskipper]

Originally Posted by twogypsies

Personally, I'd do it as a day trip; not 2 nights. 50 years ago we 'did' Wall Drugs and vowed never again. Just doing the loop drive through the park will give you enough of the Badlands.

If that's the way you're leaving to head back east you could easily do that loop while driving your RV. It starts near Wall Drug and ends farther east at the interstate. Begin at Exit 110; end at Exit 131. The national park site will give you a map.

https://www.nps.gov/badl/index.htm

[Melvo]

You will probably want to stop at WAll for a short visit. A real tourist trap but very unusual place. Easy parking near even for RV then can walk to Wall Drug and other attractions.

[HavingABlast]

Badlands NP is easily doable by just driving the loop. But if you want to see the magic of the park experience it at first light and at last light. This of course would necessitate an overnight stay. Bring your camera. There is some BLM land just outside of the NP entrance closest to the town of Wall for boondocking. Or you could stay at a CG in Wall.

While we were in the area we went to the Memorial at Little Big Horn (near the town of Crow Agency). An hour or so here is adequate. There is a small museum and cemetery. It was eye opening for us to experience this battlefield from a viewpoint different than was presented in our school American History school books.

We also took a side trip to Belle Fourche, SD. This is the geographic center of the US. There is a granite monument there suitable for photographs. We like seeing the unusual.

[doc]

We have come from CSP thru Hermosa and into PineRidge reservation a couple of times, coming up through Badlands Nat Park to Wall and then back west on 90 thru Rapid City and CSP. It was a full day of driving, photography, eating and just having fun. Too old to do the trails in the Badlands. Some beautiful sunsets around and through the park

[tzensen]

If you can arrange you schedule do the Badlands Loop early Morning Heading West with the Sun at your back. The Colors really Pop then.