Badlands Private Group Tour

Overview

You will be touring in a Turtle Top Terra Executive Bus with individual leather reclining seats. Lots of overhead storage and plugins for your cells and cameras. This bus has huge side windows and a special front 'vista' window above the drivers windshield. Excellent viewing and great comfort for up to 14 guests. Cold AC and snacks, bottled water and picnic lunch included.

Badlands National Park has serrated spires, weather-beaten buttes and cavernous gorges. It offer unique scenery and it's home to a diverse variety of wildlife; buffalo, prairie dogs, coyote, deer, bighorn sheep and antelope. We stop at the major overlooks for photos and viewing.

We also will stop at the Ben Reifel Center (museum with fossil collection and bookstore) for lunch at a shaded picnic area.

Along the way we visit the famous Wall Drug Store (old tourist trap that is worth the stop) and visit the new Minuteman National Historic Site and Delta 9 Missile Exhibit (not open on Sundays or Mondays).

City: Rapid City

Mon 12 May

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $379.00

Make a reservation

Mon 12 May

Starting at $379.00

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Hotel pickup and drop-off

Local guide

National Park fees

Bottled water

All taxes, fees and handling charges

Lunch

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

Our first stop is the Delta-09 silo located in the Badlands. “Minuteman-land is eerie. On the surface, no weapon is visible. But beneath the empty prairies and forested hills the gyroscopes are eternally spinning; these are the master navigators of jam-proof guidance systems, each ready to steer holocaustal destruction to a pre-selected target.” ~ John Hubbell, “The Missile That Closed The Gap,” Readers' Digest, October 1962.

Minuteman Missile National Historic Site

Before entering the park, we visit the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site. Here are exhibits from the Cold War of the 50's and 60's. If you can remember those days, it will bring back the chilling 'duck and cover' drills that school children practiced.

Door Trail

The Door Trail is a popular trail that provides spectacular views of rugged badlands geology. The park features many trails that are ADA accessible via boardwalks. The Door Trail is wheelchair-accessible ¼ mile boardwalk that leads through a break in the Badlands Wall known as “the Door” to a panoramic view of the Badlands. From here the maintained trail ends. Open-Top-Tours offers handicap van tours here at no additional cost.

Ben Reifel Visitor Center

Ben Reifel Visitor Center is the main North Unit facility of the park. You can stop and talk with rangers, explore the museum and check out the Fossil Preparation Lab exhibits. Also available is 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 you are free to touch them.

Pinnacles Overlook

The Pinnacles is considered the best of the many overlooks. It has sweeping views and faces South, the 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. This is also a lambing area for Bighorn sheep in the spring, so it’s not unusual to see lambs frolicing on the rocky slopes of the Badlands.

Roberts Prairie Dog Town

The last stop in the Badlands National Park. This stop provides a perfect view of the largest prairie-dog town in the accessible areas of Badlands. 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. They have one of the most develop means of communication . . . especially when in danger. *Prairie dogs are cute, but they can also carry the plague so keep your distance and view from afar!

Wall Drug

The final stop will be at the Wall Drug Store, a unique tourist attraction that offers shopping for anything you may think of. Here you can get Free Ice Water and 5-cent coffee. Try the homemade ice-cream or grab some of the excellent doughnuts to go.

Show 5 more stops

Cancellation Policy

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

Reviews (2)

Susan_H

Jul 2024

The beauty and awe of the landscape. The minuteman missile site so interesting. Our guide was quite knowledgeable and had a lot of information to share. It was obvious he has a passion for his job.

anonymousG9917EM

Jul 2024

Our guide was very knowledgeable and had a lot of information to share. Minuteman missile site was very interesting! The badlands were an incredible site as well.

Response from Host

Jul 2024

Hello Anonymous - I'm glad you enjoyed your Badlands, Wall Drug and Minuteman tour. They are all very unique from anything else. Thank you for your review. Be Well Rich