# @travelsouthdakota on Instagram

- **Type:** Video
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DcgouAlSbiJ
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/69685348-travelsouthdakota-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/16bcfb2608.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-08-26T16:25:07.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Travel South Dakota (@travelsouthdakota) — https://gondola.cc/travelsouthdakota

## Caption

48 hours in the Badlands? That’s just enough time to discover why it’s one of South Dakota’s most unforgettable landscapes.

Here’s exactly how we’d spend a weekend here...

Day 1:
- Start early with sunrise at Door Trail or Notch Trail, while the landscape is at its quietest.
- Cruise the Badlands Loop Scenic Byway, keeping an eye out for bison, bighorn sheep and prairie dogs along the way.
- Stop in walldrug for lunch (it is practically a rite of passage).
- Spend the afternoon pulling over at the park’s incredible overlooks before catching sunset at Pinnacles Overlook.
- Stick around after dark. badlandsnps is an International Dark Sky Park, making it one of the best places in the US for stargazing.

Day 2:
- Take an unforgettable flight at sunrise with flybadlands.
- Hike Castle Trail, one of the park’s most rewarding routes, or opt for the shorter Fossil Exhibit Trail if you’re after an easier walk.
- Stop at Big Badlands Overlook for one last view before continuing your South Dakota road trip.

If you’ve got extra time...
• Visit Minuteman Missile National Historic Site
• Explore the Ben Reifel Visitor Center
• Drive Sage Creek Rim Road for more wildlife spotting
• Camp beneath the stars
• Visit nearby Badlands Ranch Store

Save this itinerary for your next South Dakota adventure. 📍

#HiFromSD

## Stats

- **Views:** 16,062
- **Likes:** 1,736
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- **Comments:** 14

## Tags

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