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Sight Badlands Loop Road, Badlands National Park

Fossil Exhibit Trail

A sight in Badlands Loop Road, Badlands National Park, free to visit and worth about 30 minutes. Best time to go: Midday.

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Fossil Exhibit Trail in Badlands Loop Road, Badlands National Park
Photo: Mark Mandelstamm · Google

Why go

Short accessible boardwalk with fossil replicas of ancient mammals.

It is one of 10 curated places we feature in Badlands National Park, alongside 4 activities, 3 sights and 1 place for a drink. The closest of our other picks is Cedar Pass Lodge Restaurant, 3.4 mi away as the crow flies. At about 30 minutes, it slots neatly between bigger plans.

Type
Sight · Nature
Neighborhood
Badlands Loop Road
Price
Free
Time needed
30 min
Best time
Midday

Nearby

The 6 closest curated picks in Badlands National Park, measured as straight-line distance.

  1. 1
    Cedar Pass Lodge Restaurant

    The park's only restaurant, known for Indian tacos and bison burgers.

    Food · 3.4 mi straight-line
  2. 2
    Ben Reifel Visitor Center

    Main park visitor center with a fossil prep lab and orientation film.

    Sight · 3.5 mi straight-line
  3. 3
    Notch Trail

    1.5-mile trail with a log ladder climb to a ledge over the White River Valley.

    Activity · 3.8 mi straight-line
  4. 4
    Door Trail

    Easy 0.75-mile trail through a break in the Badlands Wall into eroded terrain.

    Activity · 3.9 mi straight-line
  5. 5
    Badlands Loop Road

    SD Highway 240 through the park, with overlooks every few miles.

    Activity · 6.9 mi straight-line
  6. 6
    Minuteman Missile National Historic Site

    Cold War missile site with a visitor center and the Delta-09 silo viewing window.

    Sight · 7.1 mi straight-line

On these curated routes

Fossil Exhibit Trail is a stop on our Dakotas Badlands & Black Hills route. Open it to see the full day-by-day plan.

More sights to see in Badlands National Park

Another curated sight in Badlands National Park. See the full Badlands National Park guide.

When to go

Average daily highs in Badlands National Park run from 36°F in December to 93°F in July; May is usually the wettest month. For Fossil Exhibit Trail itself, we suggest: Midday.

Modelled monthly averages for Badlands National Park from NASA POWER, not a forecast. Full Badlands National Park weather by month.

Getting there

Map links open a live search for Fossil Exhibit Trail, so hours and directions come straight from the map app.

Address
Badlands National Park, Wall, SD 57790, USA
Coordinates
43.77225, -102.00322
Destination
Badlands National Park, South Dakota

Fossil Exhibit Trail: quick answers

How much time do you need at Fossil Exhibit Trail?

Plan on about 30 minutes at Fossil Exhibit Trail. That is our curated estimate for a typical visit; groups that linger will want more.

When is the best time to visit Fossil Exhibit Trail?

Our pick: Midday. Insider tip: Good midday stop; little shade.

Is Fossil Exhibit Trail free?

Yes, we list Fossil Exhibit Trail as free to visit. Check locally before you go, since special exhibits, parking or tours can carry a fee.

Where is Fossil Exhibit Trail?

Fossil Exhibit Trail is at Badlands National Park, Wall, SD 57790, USA, in Badlands Loop Road. The Google Maps and Apple Maps links on this page open it for directions.

Which TripsCircle routes include Fossil Exhibit Trail?

Fossil Exhibit Trail appears on Dakotas Badlands & Black Hills, a curated route you can open on TripsCircle and plan with your group.

Add Fossil Exhibit Trail to your crew's plan

Save it to a shared TripsCircle itinerary, settle the timing with a quick poll, and split the costs with everyone going to Badlands National Park.

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Also in Badlands National Park

Curated recommendation, not live listing data. Confirm hours, prices, bookings and access before you go.