The Most-Photographed Badlands In The Country Are Right Here In The South Dakota Black Hills

If I were to ask you which places around the Mount Rushmore State were photographed the most, what would you say? Let me guess: Mount Rushmore, right? Maybe Crazy Horse? While these two landmarks are incredibly well-known and famous, there is another spot that gets just as much attention as the aforementioned, the jaw-dropping Badlands National Park:

Nestled away in the heart of the Black Hills in southwest SoDak, Badlands National Park is one of the most easy-to-recognize spots in the Midwest, thanks to its colorful buttes and pinnacles.

Flickr/Jerry and Pat Donaho

Encompassing some 242,756 acres, the Badlands were formed an estimated 69-million-years ago as a result of geologic forces of deposition and erosion, making them not only beautiful but incredibly ancient. 

Flickr/Jerry and Pat Donaho

In addition to the hills and pinnacles, the Badlands boasts a quiet and pristine prairie landscape that you have come to expect from the Mount Rushmore State.

Flickr/jb10okie

Whether you snap a shot from one of the trails or stand high above the formations via the Big Badlands Overlook (pictured), you are guaranteed a jaw-dropping photo like this.

TripAdvisor/Jim L

Keep your eyes peeled because you never know who (or what!) you will see at the Badlands! 

Flickr/vladeb

Badlands National Park is open year-round and costs $35 per private vehicle (which is valid for 7 days). 

Flickr/Matthew Paulson

To learn more about the Badlands National Park and current updates and weather conditions, please visit the National Park Service's website.

Flickr/Jim Bauer

Do you have a favorite place in SoDak that you would like to see featured on Only in Your State? Tell us about it here! To learn even more about the Badlands and how to take the perfect photo, check out The One Secret You Need To Know Before Visiting South Dakota’s Badlands National Park.