Private - JEEP Badlands Backcountry (Sage Creek/Scenic)

Meet in the parking lot.

Sheep Mtn Table is off the beaten path - not many people get out to explore this area like some other areas in the National Park. It is located next to the famous Stronghold Table (Ghost Dance). It is found in a unique and isolated location, wedged between the North and South Units. Lots of Lakota and Homesteading history . . . and it has great views of the Badlands and distant Black Hills. The road when dry is safe. However, Sheep Mtn Table may not be included if road is wet. *"Sheep Mountain Table Road is a dirt road that should not be driven during or after storms. Four-wheel drive vehicles are recommended, even in dry conditions." - National Park Service

Once upon a time upcoming railroad stop - hotels, banks and bars . . . now an empty ghost town.

This is the main facility in the North Unit of the park. You can talk with rangers, explore museum exhibits, check out the Fossil Preparation Lab and there is time to visit the Badlands Natural History Association bookstore.

The Fossil Exhibit Trail is a fully accessible boardwalk featuring fossil replicas and exhibits of extinct creatures that once lived in the area. Just .25 miles long the trail takes you past 75 million years of history and the animals that once inhabited this land.

These strangely colored mounds are the result of an ancient sea draining away and the chemicals from decaying plants turning the soil yellow. They make for a great photo opportunity.

This is the highest overlook on the Badlands Loop Road, and it offers some of the most panoramic views. This view displays the expanse of the Sage Creek Wilderness area from which you just came. On clear days, the Black Hills are visible on the horizon. Bison might be visible in the distance. This overlook is also a popular spot for Bighorn sheep to gather. This is also a lambing area for Bighorn sheep in late April to early May, so it’s not unusual to see lambs traversing the rocky slopes of the Badlands.

First we stop at the Sage Creek Overlook, looking back at the path we have just traveled . . . many think this is the best of all the Park views. We then stop to view the largest prairie-dog town in the accessible areas of Badlands National Park. Other than the mounds of dirt where the prairie dogs have made their homes, the first thing you will likely notice is the high-pitched squeaks and noises coming from the Prairie dogs. Prairie dogs provide habitat for approximately 200 animal and plant species, so keep your eyes open for other wildlife at this pulloff.

This is a less traveled area of Badlands National Park with unusual scenery and wildlife such as bighorn sheep, bison, black-footed ferrets and prairie dogs. This area is one of the oldest in the Park and most of the badlands formations have eroded away, and the underlying Cretaceous sediments are more suitable for soil development for the grasslands. Because of this and the Sage Creek running through it, you will find wildlife. Bison, sheep, antelope, deer and more (this is the water hole). The roads are less developed but no problem for our Jeep Gladiators.

Meet in the parking lot.