The Badlands provide some of the most mysterious sights to see in the National Park System. Located on the edge of our country’s Great Plains in southwestern South Dakota, Badlands National Park consists of 244,000 acres of sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles and spires blended with the largest, protected mixed-grass prairie in the United States.

Summer nights at Badlands National Park are for night sky viewing! Join park rangers and astronomy volunteers each evening from Memorial Day through Labor Day at the Cedar Pass Amphitheater for a view of constellations, planets, and more than 7,500 stars. The annual three-day Badlands Astronomy Festival brings space science lovers together to celebrate the beauty of a dark night sky and the wonder of space exploration. Check the park’s website ahead for more information on these events.