Badlands National Park guide · 2 min read
Cedar Pass Lodge vs Sage Creek Campground
Cedar Pass Lodge and Sage Creek Campground suit different kinds of trips. Cedar Pass Lodge is the only overnight lodging inside Badlands National Park, with 26 cabin units.
Each cabin has a refrigerator, microwave, coffee maker, flat screen television, and air conditioning and heat. Booking ahead is a good idea, and the lodge accepts advance reservations.
Cedar Pass Campground sits near the Ben Reifel Visitor Center, and Cedar Pass Lodge manages it. Its 96 sites are level and look out over the eroded badlands formations. Some sites have electric hookups for recreational vehicles, and tent campers can use the campground as well. Flush toilets are available, and reservations are typically required.
Sage Creek Campground takes a simpler approach. It has 22 sites along Sage Creek Rim Road, an unpaved road, and sites go to visitors on a first come, first served basis, so there is no reservation to make. If your rig is over 18 feet long, whether it is a motor home, a trailer you tow, or another kind of camper, it cannot stay here. The campground is also a popular starting point for hikes into the Sage Creek Wilderness Area.
Backcountry camping is a third option that does not require a reservation. You may camp anywhere in the park as long as your site is at least half a mile from any road or trail and cannot be seen from one. The Sage Creek Wilderness Area has no maintained trails, and hikers may walk off trail there. Those who would rather skip the long drive down Sage Creek Rim Road can start at the Sage Creek Basin Overlook instead.
The Ben Reifel Visitor Center is a good first stop before you choose. Rangers there can talk through your plans with you, and the building has exhibits, a bookstore, and restrooms.
