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Badlands National Park: reservations, fees, camping and weather
Badlands National Park, South Dakota: what you need to book, what it costs, and when the weather is mildest. Checked November 2026.
Do you need a reservation to enter?
No entry reservation is mentioned on the park's fees page.
Fees and passes
$30 per private vehicle (7 days); $15 per person on foot or bike.
Non-US residents can buy the America the Beautiful Non-Resident Annual Pass ($250).
An America the Beautiful pass covers entrance at every national park. US citizens and residents get free entry on national park fee-free days.
Camping: how to book
Camping and permits differ by area; reservable sites and permits are booked on Recreation.gov. Many Recreation.gov campgrounds open on a rolling window months ahead and sell out within minutes; if yours is full, set up a cancellation alert.
Campgrounds on Recreation.gov (1)
| Campground | Sites | Type | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Pass Campground | 100 | Campground | Book ↗ |
From Recreation.gov's official data (RIDB), November 2026. Campgrounds run by park concessioners and some first-come sites aren't on Recreation.gov, so check the park's camping page too. When can I book?
Official planning pages
The park's own pages for the things that change: conditions, closures, camping and permits.
Key dates
- Wed 11 Nov 2026 National parks fee-free day: Veterans Day Confirmed
- December 2026 · exact dates not announced 2027 national park fee-free days announced Expected
Weather by month
| Month | Camping weather | Avg high | Avg low | Precip. | Snow | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Poor · 0 | 37°F | 14°F | 0.5 in | 5.5 in | 9 h 12 m |
| February | Poor · 2 | 41°F | 16°F | 0.6 in | 6.4 in | 10 h 22 m |
| March | Fair · 57 | 52°F | 26°F | 1.2 in | 5.9 in | 11 h 45 m |
| April | Great · 100 | 62°F | 35°F | 2.3 in | 6.4 in | 13 h 20 m |
| May | Great · 95 | 72°F | 46°F | 3.6 in | 0.5 in | 14 h 39 m |
| June | Great · 94 | 83°F | 56°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in | 15 h 22 m |
| July | Good · 63 | 91°F | 62°F | 2.2 in | 0.0 in | 15 h 04 m |
| August | Good · 66 | 90°F | 60°F | 1.8 in | 0.0 in | 13 h 55 m |
| September | Great · 100 | 82°F | 50°F | 1.4 in | 0.0 in | 12 h 24 m |
| October | Great · 100 | 65°F | 38°F | 1.6 in | 1.9 in | 10 h 52 m |
| November | Fair · 48 | 50°F | 25°F | 0.5 in | 3.7 in | 9 h 32 m |
| December | Poor · 0 | 39°F | 17°F | 0.5 in | 7.7 in | 8 h 52 m |
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at the Interior 3 NE, SD weather station (2,440 ft). Higher trails are colder; temperatures usually drop about 3–5°F per 1,000 ft. "Camping weather" is our simple score: best with highs of 62–82°F, nights above freezing and under 3 in of precipitation. It rates weather only, not road closures, snow on trails or crowds. Daylight is sunrise to sunset on the 15th. About NOAA normals ↗
Questions
Do I need a reservation to enter Badlands National Park?
No entry reservation is mentioned on the park's fees page.
How much does it cost to enter Badlands?
$30 per private vehicle (7 days); $15 per person on foot or bike. Non-US residents can buy the America the Beautiful Non-Resident Annual Pass ($250).
When is the weather mildest at Badlands?
Using NOAA averages at the park's weather station, average highs are between 60°F and 85°F in April to June, September to October. July is warmest (about 91°F) and January has the coldest nights (about 14°F).
Sources: Badlands fees and passes (nps.gov), NOAA station data. Rules change; always check the official park site before you go.
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