Badlands Camping, National Park Campgrounds

Camping provides an inexpensive and adventurous way to experience the wilds of Badlands National Park. There are two official campgrounds located in park, as well as unlimited backcountry sites. No reservations are required, as all sites are distributed on a first come first served basis. When camping, make sure you adhere to all park regulations.

Cedar Pass Campground Cedar Pass Campground has a telephone, running water and a dump site for RVs. There are also two sites that are wheelchair accessible. As the sites are first come, first served, make sure you pitch your tent early to ensure an appropriate site. Sites at the Cedar Pass Campground range from $8 in the winter to $10 in the summer. Camp hosts are available from Memorial Day through Labor Day. No campfires are allowed.

Sage Creek Campground

Unlike Cedar Pass Campground, Sage Creek Campground is free. It is a primitive campground with pit toilets and no water or dump sites. Horseback riders frequently use these sites. The campground is accessible via the rough Sage Creek Rim Road. Before attempting the drive, make sure your vehicle has high clearance as the road is unpaved and terrain can be unpredictable and rugged. No campfires are allowed.

Backcountry Camping Backpackers are allowed to camp anywhere that is at least a half-mile from a road or trail, and they cannot be visible from any park road. When going off-trail to set up camp, make sure you have topographic maps; it is easy to get lost in the isolated prairies and buttes of Badlands National Park. Practice a "pack in, pack out" philosophy and bury all human waste. Boil or treat all water. No open fires are permitted as fire danger is high year round. Cook all food on portable camp stoves.