Grasslands

About Grasslands

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  Badlands Ranger Programs

  Badlands National Park

  Visiting the Badlands? Curious about the history, culture, and science of the park? Consider attending a ranger program! During a typical summer season, rangers offer many programs throughout the course of the day. Regular ranger programs are listed below and the full program schedule can be found on our calendar . Typically, ranger programs are hosted between Memorial and Labor Day weekends. Be sure to ask a ranger at the Ben Reifel Visitor Center or White River Visitor Center about what programs will be conducted during your visit. Geology Walk May 17th through September 26th, 2026 Where? Door Trail When? 8:30 AM Duration: 30-45 minutes After miles of rolling prairie, the Badlands seem to rise up out of nowhere. How did they get to where they are today? What do all of the layers of the formations tell us? Join a ranger at Door Trail for answers to these questions and more on a walk through Badlands geology. This program is offered on Door Trail, which is a boardwalk trail and ADA accessible. Visitors of all abilities are welcome to join. Fossil Talks May 17th through September 26th, 2026 Where? Fossil Exhibit Trail When? 10:30 AM and 2:00 PM Duration: 20-30 minutes There are millions of years of life embedded in Badlands formations. We know about them because of the fossils paleontologists and visitors alike have found in the park -- and continue to be found every day! Learn about the amazing history of life, evolution, and death at a Fossil Talk, offered in the summer at 10:30am and 1:30pm every day at the Fossil Exhibit Trail. The program takes place at Fossil Exhibit Trail, about 5 miles east of the Ben Reifel Visitor Center on the Badlands Loop Road / Highway 240 Prairie Walk May 17th through September 26th, 2026 Where? Ben Reifel Visitor Center When? 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM Enjoy an easy to moderate prairie hike exploring the Badlands on this late afternoon ranger-led adventure. Meet outside the Ben Reifel Visitor Center at 5:30 P.M. Evening Program June- July, 2026 Where? Cedar Pass Campground Amphitheater When? 9:00 PM Duration: 30 minutes August, 2026 When? 8:30 PM Duration: 30 minutes September, 2026 When? 8:00 PM Duration: 30 minutes If you plan to spend the evening in the park or the surrounding area, consider attending an Evening Program at the Cedar Pass Amphitheater. Evening Programs are offered on a wide variety of topics which change daily. In th…

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  Hiking the Badlands

  Badlands National Park

  There are a variety of options when it comes to hiking in the Badlands. Whether you're looking for a short, easy boardwalk trail or a more challenging 10-mile trail through Badlands terrain, there is a hike in the park for everyone. All designated trails are within a few miles of the visitor center. Rules & Tips Always carry water! Two quarts per person per two hour hike is recommended. Hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen are strongly encouraged. Rain gear is also recommended, since weather conditions can change rapidly. Wear sturdy boots or shoes to protect your feet from cactus spines and snake bites. Keep a distance of at least 100 feet from all wildlife encountered during your hike. If wildlife reacts to your presence at all, you are too close. Remember that all park resources -- fossils, plants, animals, artifacts, and rocks -- are to remain as you find them . All visitors are entitled to the same sense of discovery you experience when traveling the park trails, and collecting these items is illegal. If you are unsure where to hike, consult with rangers at the Ben Reifel Visitor Center . They can provide advice about trails, as well as recommendations for different fitness and experience levels. Official Park Trails Door Trail 0.75 miles/1.2 km (round trip) Easy. An accessible ¼ mile boardwalk leads through a break in the Badlands Wall known as "the Door" and to a view of the Badlands. From there, the maintained trail ends. Travel beyond this point is at your own risk. Watch for drop-offs. Window Trail 0.25 miles/0.4 km (round trip) Easy. This short trail leads to a natural window in the Badlands Wall with a view of an intricately eroded canyon. Please stay on the trail. Notch Trail 1.5 miles/2.4 km (round trip) Moderate to strenuous. After meandering through a canyon, this trail climbs a log ladder and follows a ledge to "the Notch" for a dramatic view of the White River Valley. Trail begins at the south end of the Door and Window parking area. Watch for drop-offs. Not recommended for anyone with a fear of heights. Treacherous during or after heavy rains. Castle Trail 10 miles/16 km (round trip) Moderate. The longest trail in the park begins at the Door and Window parking area and travels five miles one way to the Fossil Exhibit Trail. Relatively level, the path passes along some badlands formations. Cliff Shelf 0.5 miles/0.8 km (round trip) Moderate. This…

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  Become a Badlands Junior Ranger

  Badlands National Park

  Explore, learn, protect. Do you care about exploring, learning about, and protecting the Badlands? If yes, become a Junior Ranger! There are many ways to earn a Junior Ranger badge at Badlands National Park, and this fun activity book is a great place to start. This booklet includes activities like mazes, crosswords, drawings, and more to help you learn about the Badlands. Discover all the park has to offer, from fossils to wildlife to Lakota culture to the prairie. Become a Junior Ranger We have Junior Ranger activity books waiting for you at the Ben Reifel Visitor Center throughout the entire year. You can also receive a digital copy by contacting the park ahead of time via email or by calling (605)-433-5245. You can also become a Junior Ranger and earn a patch by completing a fun online activity called Pick Your Park Adventure . Take a virtual adventure through the Badlands, send us a quick email, and receive your official patch in the mail! If you opt to earn a badge with a Junior Ranger book, complete all the fun-filled activities and watch the exciting park movie, Land of Stone and Light , or attend a daily ranger-guided program (summer only). Return your completed book to a ranger at the visitor center desk, take the Junior Ranger pledge, and earn your badge! Don't have enough time to finish the book while you are in the park? No problem! Send your book back to the park when you complete it. A ranger will check your work and mail the book back to you with a badge and signed certificate.

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  Become a Natchez Trace Junior Ranger

  Natchez Trace Parkway

  Explore, Learn, Protect Do you care about exploring, learning about, and protecting the Natchez Trace? If yes, become a Junior Ranger! There are many ways to be a Junior Ranger badge at Natchez Trace Parkway, and this fun activity book is a great place to start. This booklet includes activities like mazes, coloring, drawings, and more to help you learn about the Natchez Trace. Discover all the park has to offer, from ecosystems to wildlife to American Indian culture to the southeast United States. Become a Junior Ranger Download both parts of the book or see below for other ways to get your book. Download Natchez Trace Parkway Junior Ranger Booklet Part 1 Download Natchez Trace Parkway Junior Ranger Booklet Part 2 We have Junior Ranger activity books waiting for you at our four visitors centers on the Natchez Trace Parkway. You can also receive a digital copy by contacting the park ahead of time via email or by calling 1-800-305-7417. To earn a badge with a Junior Ranger book, complete the fun-filled activities and return your completed book to a ranger at a visitor center desk, take the Junior Ranger pledge, and earn your badge! Don't have enough time to finish the book while you are in the park? No problem! Send your book back to the park when you complete it. A ranger will check your work and mail the book back to you with a badge and signed certificate. Mailing Address: Natchez Trace Parkway Attn: Junior Ranger Program 2680 Natchez Trace Parkway Tupelo, MS 38804

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  Take a Self-Guided Tour of the Cabin District

  Valles Caldera National Preserve

  The Cabin District stands as a reminder of the ranching legacy at Valles Caldera. This self-guided audio tour walks through a day in the life of a ranch worker, stopping by each historic structure and explaining its significance to the ranching operation that persisted here for nearly 100 years. Download the NPS smartphone app for free at The NPS App - Digital (U.S. National Park Service) . Tour takes about 30 minutes to complete.

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