Perfect Chicago to Badlands National Park drive with possible stops along the way 🌞 Chicago to South Dakota road trip

Hi there!

So you want to go on a road trip from Chicago to Badlands National Park!

In September 2021, I did a road trip from Chicago to Badlands National Park, and beyond.

Well actually it was from Michigan to Badlands National Park.

But that included driving on the outskirts of Chicago.. so that means I also did drive from Chicago to the Badlands. 😜

And I also had a previous trip of driving from Badlands National Park to Chicago (to Michigan).

So I can also give you some ideas on how to get to the South Dakota badlands if you are starting from the Chicago area!

How long is the drive from Chicago to Badlands National Park?

Driving directly, it might take around 12 hours of driving time from Chicago to Badlands National Park.

Explore the map.

I imagine that there are some people who would say it’s doable to drive from Chicago to Badlands National Park in one day.

But I think for most people, you can think of it as taking 2 days to drive from Chicago to the Badlands. That would be an average of 6 hours a day.

Of course, there are many different ways that you can do this drive depending on your time and interests!

But for most people, it’s a pretty straight forward drive and there’s really not much of anything that is “must-see” between Chicago and Badlands National Park.

You will be driving along I-90 west pretty much the whole way.

Badlands National Park is located pretty much directly off of I-90.

Below will give you some ideas… if you want to break up the drive from Chicago to the Badlands!

What is there to see between Chicago and Badlands National Park?

Explore the map.

1. Great River Bluffs State Park

Great River Bluffs State Park is a Minnesota state park in Winona MN, and this can make for a break-up point right after you leave Wisconsin.

It is located pretty much directly off of I-90.

You can stop to go for a short hike that ends with views of the Mississippi River.

You can use this as an excuse to stop and get out of the car.

Or you can use it as an overnight camping stop if you want to make it a shorter driving day, as there is the Great River Bluffs State Park campground.

There is a Minnesota state park entry fee of around $7.

Chicago to Great River Bluffs State Park is around an 4.5 hour drive. (map)

Great River Bluffs State Park to Badlands National Park is around an 8 hour drive. (map)

2. Palisades State Park

Palisades State Park is a small South Dakota state park that can also make for a nice break-up point as you drive west along I-90 in South Dakota.

This is located in eastern South Dakota, and you’ll take the I-90 exit shortly after entering South Dakota from Minnesota.

So this can make for a stop in eastern South Dakota along I-90.

And you can make it an overnight stop.

There is the Palisades State Park campground.

There are also the Palisades State Park cabins.

South Dakota state park camping cabins are simple (bring your own everything including bedding) but it’s a budget-friendly way to have a roof over your head! It’s around $70 including taxes and fees.

There is a South Dakota state park entry fee of around $8.

Otherwise, for traditional hotels, Sioux Falls SD is in eastern South Dakota.

Chicago to Palisades State Park is around an 8.5 hour drive. (map)

Palisades State Park to Badlands National Park is around a 4 hour drive. (map)

See more about Palisades State Park camping cabins.

If you are driving further west in South Dakota, there are more South Dakota state park camping cabins!

3. Lewis and Clark Welcome Center I-90 rest area

The Lewis and Clark Welcome Center is a rest area along I-90.

So if you want an excuse to get out of the car to walk around, then this might be a spot you’ll want to stop off at.

It is like a normal rest area, so you will see it as you are driving on I-90.

You can explore a little mini-museum here to learn a bit about the explorers Lewis and Clark.

And then the most prominent thing about this rest area is the Dignity Statue that represents Native American culture in South Dakota.

And as a rest area, you can also make this a picnic stop.

See more about the Dignity Statue I-90 rest area.

🌞

4. Wall Drug

The town of Wall SD is located along I-90.

Depending on how late you’re arriving into the area of Badlands National Park, you might want to drive straight to Wall SD and save your exploration for Badlands National Park for the next day.

If you want to do that, then you can drive to Wall SD first to spend an overnight here, if you won’t be camping.

I did an overnight at a hotel in Wall SD. (Super 8 by Wyndham Wall – reviews)

So Wall SD is also on the South Dakota tourist map because of a place called the Wall Drug Store.

Wall Drug is a complete tourist attraction.

As you are driving along I-90 in South Dakota, you will see a TON of signs for Wall Drug.

There are really just THAT many that it will have you thinking… what is this Wall Drug?!?!

Well, personally I think it’s skippable.

And in fact, I did skip it the first time I went to South Dakota.

But the second time, it was a different driving route (the one here), and those I-90 Wall Drug billboards got me! (The previous driving route was by going to the North Dakota national park first.)

Wall Drug is kind of an all-American road trip story, and you are on a road trip yourself, so… you might want to be a part of it and stop by!

See more about planning your Chicago to Badlands road trip:

• What is up with Wall Drug?

5. Badlands National Park

And you’ve made it to Badlands National Park!!

If you are arriving into Badlands National Park at a decent hour (a sunset drive through Badlands National Park can be nice!), then you can enter Badlands National Park at Interior SD, and not Wall SD.

Interior SD is further east, so it will be the closest access point to Badlands National Park.

And from here, you can start the drive along Badlands Loop Road, which is main road that goes through Badlands National Park.

This is also the road that has pretty much all of the popular viewpoints and popular hikes in Badlands National Park.

Badlands Loop Road is THE road to drive in Badlands National Park.

There are campgrounds in Badlands National Park.

If you will be arriving in the evening, then the Cedar Pass Campground will be better, since it’s on the eastern side of Badlands National Park.

Overall, this is the more convenient Badlands campground anyway, because it’s located almost directly off of the Badlands Loop Road. 

While the Cedar Pass Campground is the most convenient, you may also want to go camping in Badlands National Park in the more remote area of the park too.

That’s where you will find the free Sage Creek campground where you have a very good chance of seeing prairie dogs.

And you also have a chance at seeing buffalo walking right past your tent!

If you are not camping, then driving towards this remote Sage Creek area will also give you a chance to see prairie dogs and buffalo.

When you are in Badlands National Park, you also have a chance to see bighorn sheep too! For that, you have a chance to see them just by driving the main area of Badlands Loop Road.

See more about planning your Chicago to Badlands road trip:

• Things to do in Badlands National Park for views!
• Best hikes in Badlands National Park
• Camping in Badlands National Park (with buffalo and prairie dogs!)
• Where to see bighorn sheep in Badlands National Park

A “Badlands and Black Hills” kind of South Dakota road trip is a thing!

After Badlands National Park, should you venture to the Black Hills of South Dakota?!

Take a look to see if anything interests you!

It will depend on where exactly in the Black Hills you will be going, but Badlands National Park to the Black Hills is around a 1.5 hour drive one way.

For example, you can make your first destination within the Black Hills the Mount Rushmore National Memorial, and drive from the Badlands to Mount Rushmore.

If you will be staying around the Mount Rushmore area for a few days, you might also be interested in going to Custer State Park. This is possibly the best state park in South Dakota.

You can even stay in Custer State Park.

There are camping cabins in Custer State Park, along with other more “luxury” lodging options.

The Black Hills area is also where you will find Wind Cave National Park and Jewel Cave National Monument.

Download offline maps before you go!

It’s quite possible that you will have minimal data in some places as you are driving to Badlands National Park.

It will be best to download offline google maps before you go!

See more about planning your Chicago to Badlands (and beyond?!) road trip:

• Things to do in the Black Hills for views
• Things to do in Custer State Park
• Custer State Park camping cabins
• Wind Cave National Park
• Jewel Cave National Monument
• The Mammoth Site National Natural Landmark

And, if you do decide to drive to the Black Hills, then maybe you want to loop back around and make the return trip to the east with a detour through North Dakota to go to another national park?! (map) In which case…

• Things to do in Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Or, you can drive the southern route back to Chicago. Take a detour to the Toadstool Geologic Park in the Nebraska Badlands that is part of Oglala National Grassland!

More for your Chicago to Badlands National Park road trip planning, and beyond:

• Things to do in Badlands National Park
• National parks in South Dakota
• Driving from Chicago to Yellowstone National Park
• Best things to do in Yellowstone National Park
• National parks in Wyoming
• Best places to visit in Wyoming

PLUS: A separate summer road trip for you closer to home: Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

HAPPY DRIVING TO BADLANDS NATIONAL PARK FROM CHICAGO!