Summer Fridays: Badlands National Park, SD

Summer means it’s time to get away. All season, we’re sharing some of our favorite US summer travel spots. Find a destination to cure your wanderlust? Take the Summer Friday.

We recently mentioned that there are a whopping 63 national parks in the US. So this week, we’re visiting another lesser known park: Badlands National Park. With layered rock formations, steep canyons and towering spires, it has been described as the “park-lover’s park” thanks to its uniquely barren terrain and grand scale, which spans over 200,000 acres. A park in which you can truly get away from it all.
 
On the itinerary: Scenic hikes and overlooks that’ll transport you to the past, then an eclectic menu that’ll bring you back to the present.
 

To See

Trails & Overlooks

 
The Badlands National Park offers something for everyone. There’s hikes and treks of every level and every length. Consider The Window Trail if you’re a newbie or The Notch Trail if you’re a thrill-seeker. There are also 10 scenic overlooks. Head to Pinnacles Overlook for the most scenic and sweeping overlook of them all and then to Sage Creek Basin to spot free-roaming bison and pronghorn.
 

To Taste 

Harriet & Oak

The café features a fresh and eclectic menu with some vegan-friendly options. To drink, try their café miel latte, maple coconut latte or—if you prefer tea—any of their assorted tea lattes. And did we mention there’s Kombucha on tap? With many different options and generously-sized portions, this local gem will suit even the pickiest of travel companions.
 

To Spray

Book+ Bold

 
Take up some of that open expanse of space with Book+ Bold. A warm, spicy and dry scent that inspires awe, not unlike the Badlands themselves.