Badlands Premium Executive Van Tour

Overview

Our professional guides provide you a memorable tour to the one of a kind Badlands National Park. You learn the history of the Badlands, the local Native Americans and western homesteaders.

We tour in comfort and style, in a 14 passenger Ford TurtleTop Executive Van. Leather reclining seats, huge side windows and a touring window above the windshield. No bad views as we travel and lots of stops for photos and restroom breaks.

And we also offer this tour in our wheelchair accessible Mercedes Sprinter Van . . . single wheelchair and 5 executive leather seats. Large side and front windows for great viewing. The handicap lift allows everyone to share in the roadsides stops and boardwalk trails.

Additionally we stop to visit Wall Drug and the Minuteman Missile Site.
*Please note: Sunday, Monday and Tuesday Minuteman Missile is closed.

City: Rapid City

Fri 30 Jan

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $349.00

Make a reservation

Fri 30 Jan

Starting at $349.00

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Local guide

Hotel pickup and drop-off

Bottled water

National Park fees

All taxes, fees and handling charges

Snacks

Additional Info

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately

What To Expect

Delta-09 Missile Silo

From 1963 until the early 1990s, the missile silo at Delta-09 contained a fully operational Minuteman Missile, bearing a 1.2 megaton nuclear warhead. The Delta-09 missile silo was one of 150 spread across western South Dakota. In total there were 1,000 Minuteman missiles deployed from the 1960's into the early 1990's. Visitors can now tour the site daily. The launch facility consists of a silo 12 feet in diameter and 80 feet deep made of reinforced concrete with a steel-plate liner. The door to the silo has been welded and fitted with a glass roof, and an unarmed missile placed inside. For safety reasons, tours are not conducted underground. In addition to the missile and silo, visitors will see support structures such as antennas and motion sensors.

Minuteman Missile National Historic Site

Short stop at location of 1950'-60's Nuclear Missile Site. Small museum provides exhibits of the 'Duck and Cover' days. During the Cold War, a vast arsenal of nuclear missiles were placed in the Great Plains. Hidden in plain sight, for thirty years 1,000 missiles were kept on constant alert; hundreds remain today. The Minuteman Missile remains an iconic weapon in the American nuclear arsenal. It holds the power to destroy civilization, but is meant as a nuclear deterrent to maintain peace and prevent war. *No Tours on Sundays, Mondays & Tuesdays (Closed)

Badlands National Park

Badlands Loop Road (SD 240) is a spectacular way to see the North Unit of Badlands National Park. This two-lane paved road is wide and safe and does include viewing wildlife along the Loop Road. We drive carefully, stopping to use overlooks and pull-outs. There are over a dozen spectacular overlooks and trailheads, we stop at the best ones to explore and take photos.

Door Trail

A wheelchair-accessible ¼ mile boardwalk leads through a break in the Badlands Wall known as “the Door” to a panoramic view of the Badlands. You have the option to explore the trail. The maintained trail ends and continues onto Badlands bedrock, with yellow posts marking the primitive portion of the trail.

Ben Reifel Visitor Center

The Ben Reifel Visitor Center is the main facility in the North Unit of the park. You can stop by to talk with rangers, explore museum exhibits, check out the Fossil Preparation Lab, or visit the Badlands Natural History Association bookstore.

Fossil Exhibit Trail

The Fossil Exhibit Trail is a fully accessible boardwalk featuring fossil replicas and exhibits of extinct creatures that once lived in the area. The exhibits are tactile, so please feel free to touch.

Pinnacles Overlook

This view displays the expanse of the Sage Creek Wilderness area. On clear days, the Black Hills are visible on the horizon. Bison might be visible in the distance, in the valley below or the upper prairie to the northwest. 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.

Wall Drug

One of the world’s most well-known tourist attractions, it’s hard to believe Wall Drug Store got its start with something many wouldn’t even turn their heads at today … the promise of free ice water. But in fact, the Husteads turned free ice water into a million-dollar idea with a little determination, quick thinking and a lot of signs. Signs with catchy jingles like “Get a soda . . . Get a root beer . . . turn next corner . . . Just as near . . . To Highway 16 & 14. . . Free Ice Water. . . Wall Drug” drew weary travelers into the small-town drug store to enjoy a refreshing break. Today, more than 2 million visitors a year stop at the popular roadside attraction for a meal or activity, 5 cent coffee, and ice water – which is still free.

The Black Hills

As we drive to the Badlands and back you will have distant views of the famous Black Hills to the west and the Prairie Grasslands to the east. And as we approach the Park you will be able to discern the barren dessert tables of the Park. Many stops for rest and bathrooms breaks.

Show 6 more stops

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (42)

Debra_M

Sep 2021

The overlooks,. The prairie dog park. The wagon wheel bar and grill. Joe is a fantastic guide. Enjoyed the tour emencely!

Response from Host

Sep 2021

Hello Debra - Thanks for taking time for your review of your Badlands tour with Joe. The Badlands is one of our most popular tours and it has amazing landscapes. The Wagon Wheel is a fun place for lunch . . . rustic and quant and some scenes from the movie Nomadland were shot there. Thanks again and Be Well! Rich

Kasey F

Aug 2021

What a great time we had with Black Hills Open Top Tours. Kevin, our guide, was on time and not at all annoyed that I had provided confusing hotel information (there are MULTIPLE Best Western Rushmore Hotels in Rapid City). I was really glad we weren’t doing the “open top” thing that day because it was pretty warm and the amount of time it takes to get from RC to Badlands NP is considerable. No worries…we flew along at a good clip learning lots about Rapid City, the minuteman missile silos that we visited, lots of areas of the national park, the Wagon Wheel bar, topping it all off with a good amount of time to explore Wall Drug. My husband and I passed out in the van on the way back to Rapid CIty fully contented with what we had seen and learned. Thanks, Kevin, and Black Hills Open Top Tours. We can’t wait to book with you again the next time we’re in town.

Response from Host

Aug 2021

Howdy Kasey - I'm happy you enjoyed your touring with Kevin. I has been a hot year for the Badlands area and it can get uncomfortable unless the vehicles have AC. That's why we only use the convertible top vans in the mountains where its cooler. For the Badlands we only use regular vans and minivans with cold air conditioners. We look forward to your return . . . lots more to see. Thank you for your kind review. Be Well - Rich

Cathy_M

Jun 2021

Loved learning about the history of the badlands. Hard to hear how cruel the Indians were treated, but wonderful history knowledge.

Response from Host

Jun 2021

Hi Cathy. Thanks you for taking time for your review. The story of the Native Americans treatment is a tragedy and continues in many ways today. Be Well - Rich