(We're both of an age to remember those!) If you want to tour the Minuteman Missile Launch Control Facility, you'd have to get there early (depending on the time of year you are planning to visit) to get free, same-day tickets. It's small, but the film is worth seeing, if only for the portions about 'duck and cover' drills. Note that the only dining opportunity inside the park is at the Cedar Pass Lodge dining room, but there are scenic places for picnic lunches in the park too.įinally, I suggest a stop at the NPS Minuteman Missile Site Visitor's Center just off I-90 at Exit 131 (where you will exit for the Northeast Entrance). Fly from Rapid City (RAP) to Waco (ACT) 4h 52m.

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Both exits lead to Wall where you can stop at Wall Drug for a dose of 'kitsch' before continuing back to Rapid City. The cheapest way to get from Rapid City Airport (RAP) to West costs only 250, and the quickest way takes just 4¾ hours. To exit the park, you can leave via the Pinnacles Exit or continue further down the gravel Sage Creek Rim Road and see another overlook and the Roberts Prairie Dog Town before exiting at Hwy 502. I would call these 'walks', not 'hikes' and you may enjoy doing one or more of them because they are rated Easy and the RT lengths are only 1/4 mile (Window), 1/2 mile (Cliff Shelf) and 3/4 mile (Door).Īfter the Visitor's Center, you can continue driving the Badlands Loop Road and stop at the various scenic outlooks. On the way to the visitor's center, you will pass the trailheads for the Window Trail, the Door Trail and, later, the Cliff Shelf Nature Trail.

From the Northeast Entrance, you can drive to the Ben Reifel Visitor's Center to see the exhibits and get any information you want on the park from the rangers. The drive will take less than 90 minutes to drive to the Northeast Entrance where I suggest you begin your visit. This would be a fine day trip from Rapid City.

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