---
template: byway.jade
id: "16436"
name: Badlands Loop Scenic Byway
distance: "31.5"
description: "This scenic byway showcases Badlands National Park with its pinnacles and eroded canyons.  Visitors will experience  vistas of the Badlands and vast expanses of open prairie. "
path: "mzmkGdr_oRzNJbXy@tHMdDD`D^tPtEfDPbBCtC_@jHoBvHgBpF]dCDlw@?p|EW`oAJly@Gpq@DjMKhc@Jnl@KxHc@lAoAdAgB^eApBqId@mAdAaBv@s@|F{Dr@}@rBmDt@aA~@y@vD_C|B}Bd@GlB^P?f@YXqADgA?y@Os@OWo@[mBGw@WQWMi@F}@t@_@dCk@zAi@f@]f@k@xCsEhAm@~Cg@p@Y`A}@pAoBt@yB|@mDnAmCx@w@rAk@z@o@jEaFxAUx@B|FfBz@JbAe@R_@h@{D`@yARS~CkAjCwAZGlBXxCFfBaAbFaHxGuIlAaDt@_B`BkAdDoEpA}@zBa@|Aq@n@eALmC@aFRsE~@yEr@iBz@}@jHuCr@_A^_ANeCN}_@EuEO{EHsA~@kCTeA?mAKm@S_@_@WcAHyExBiA@]Gc@Qe@k@i@yAc@oCa@qAy@aB]kA?{Af@kBVe@fAy@rHkD~QoC`Bm@d@i@dA{A`@kA|FeVx@_DhA{CnTsd@rAsA~@i@|AShBDbw@rDrAE~@Sr@c@z@u@fEaJxFaN`AmAdAy@nDmBr@e@b@e@d@y@bBoH~@eBfAsA|CyBdEsAbBQdHKnA_@r@g@t@aAd@mAVqAJ}ABaCSiI?mCRaEtEyq@b@uIRyA~Bc]r@oGZsAb@eAzGoKxD_FpHmHbAmAzBgD`B_DnYom@pCaHn@kBr@uC`JoZn@gDR}A@aBBiNEgBNcDZiBvBeItPot@rDiOjGqXxAiKj@gGXmETqEH{DBmM]kLe@}Ge@iEgA{HkAgG{Io\\cA_FsFySOyACeClCaQnA{Gh@oDHyACeAYwBq@uCgBgGeBsEiByCcAmA}DyB}DMeOL}As@YSk@cAs@sBUmDtEa]`@eBVm@X_@v@k@rAY`Ly@`@GlAu@tM_P^w@x@oCbAyKN_A@kBGm@So@c@u@y@_@iAUcBy@aAeAo@uA]yBKiC?iCd@yDx@eDr@uAhCsDlWcWhBsBh@cATu@RwAH_BIaB_@eB_@{@qBeDq@_Bc@iBIcCb@oEh@kDhCkPr@sCxDaLr@}AnBoC`FqFnT_Sx@}@xCsE`C}Fp@kCh@eC|CcSn@sBvBcElCkClGgEbCgDt@gBxAeCn@y@bB_AxBYv@Cz@JpKHtEXhCbAnAdA|@vBJl@E~Ao@xBSlABt@Jp@l@pAnBlArA~B`AfA~HdBdCTbDa@rAa@nAw@l@s@b@_ArCuLhAsDrCgG~@mAn@k@xC{Al@e@h@m@r@oAdGyUf@mAz@_Bp@_AtAgAlAw@xE_Cl@a@v@kA`@{@dAqEd@yCFmA?sAy@mGCgABiAdAiJ?kAYgDo@yEsEqPm@_Bu@mAwAyAeAm@gFsB[_@]s@Q_A@yAbD{VXiDHkKHyAd@uBhB_EjFgHh@_APm@Hs@?yEXyB~@_FHaACgAeAsFEeAJsCfA{F`@eAlAmAxAy@lDs@n@e@bAwBX}At@kCNmB?}@o@wFo@mJ?_A@cAb@uDtA{H|@yB\\a@^e@nA_AzOsD^S\\Sn@cARm@J_AE_AWkAuDqK}DyLoB}Gy@kDI{@G}Br@aGNuBLeEXmBdAyBReA@eA[eDMiEUmBcA_DYYy@M{@Z_ArAmC`FmCpDs@j@uCfAm@^cEzDeBvAm@XiD?eOf@s@Ps@^oDlCo@Pg@@uAMcBs@s@q@c@s@Wy@YqCDuCNmATiAnKwUTaANgBE_AUcBa@aAkAsAwI{CwB_@uAI{MUqCWeAUaBe@yBcAuCoBsBmBsAeB}BaEkA_Dy@mC}@eE[_C}@oLe@{DsA_HcBsFsA{CyAqCiAaBiB{BgEsDyR{KyDsCsCeCwEaFsCqD{JeOe@k@sByA}Bm@mERiXzK{JrDaE~@sEn@mHVoIa@yEy@oBi@seAm_@gFeAyCQ{p@EmF\\cLxAiFVcFIsT{Bsw@K"
websites: 
  - url: "http://www.fs.usda.gov/nebraska"
    name: Buffalo Gap National Grassland (Nebraska NF and GL)
designations: 
  - South Dakota State Scenic Byway
states: 
  - SD
ll: 
  - -102.23922699999991
  - 43.98519900000008
bounds: 
  - - -102.24027999999993
    - 43.74739100000005
  - - -101.89968099999993
    - 43.98519900000008

---

In addition to carved steep canyons and high cliffs, Badlands
National Park is also home to the largest and most complete example
of mixed-grass prairie preserved by the National Park Service. As
the byway follows the natural contours of the Badlands escarpment,
it also weaves in and out of the native grasslands complete with
hundreds of species of plants and animals.  

Authorized by Congress in 1929, Badlands National Monument was
established to preserve the scenery, to protect the fossils and
wildlife, and to conserve the mixed-grass prairie. Today, Badlands
Loop Scenic Byway comprises 31.5 miles of roadway and along it are
fourteen designated overlooks allowing visitors to stop and
appreciate the view.  
