Badlands National Park
About
Badlands National Park, located in western South Dakota, is known for its dramatic geologic formations, expansive mixed-grass prairie, and remarkably dark night skies. The park’s remote landscape, dry climate, and minimal surrounding light pollution create exceptional conditions for stargazing and astronomical observation, offering visitors expansive views of the Milky Way and other celestial phenomena rarely visible in much of North America.
The designation of Badlands National Park as an International Dark Sky Park reflects years of collaborative conservation and advocacy efforts led by the National Park Service, the Badlands National Park Conservancy, regional partners, local communities, and supporters across South Dakota. Efforts to protect the nocturnal environment have included retrofitting exterior lighting to reduce light pollution, implementing night sky quality monitoring, expanding educational outreach, and increasing public programming centered on dark sky stewardship.
The initiative also highlights the cultural importance of the night sky in the Northern Great Plains. Indigenous perspectives, including Lakota Star Knowledge, help deepen public understanding of the relationship between people, landscape, and the stars.
Today, the park hosts ranger-led night sky programming throughout the year, including an annual Astronomy Festival each July that brings together visitors, astronomers, photographers, educators, and dark sky advocates. Looking ahead, regional partners are exploring opportunities to expand astronomy-based education and public access through future initiatives, including the development of a planned public observatory. Together, these efforts are helping position the Badlands and South Dakota as leading destinations for dark sky viewing, astronomy, and astrophotography in the Northern Great Plains.
Area
983 km2
Designated
2025
Category
International Dark Sky Park
Address
25216 Ben Reifel Road
Interior, SD 57750
Google Maps
Contact
Marissa Marshall
Executive Director, Badlands National Park Conservancy
605-350-5850
[email protected]
Dan Oakley
Policy and Destination Senior Manager, DarkSky International
+44 780 357 0818
[email protected]
