Drive into the Buffalo Gap National Grassland and camp on the rim of Badlands National Park for free.
Buffalo Gap National Grassland borders Badlands NP. The most famous free spot — Nomad View dispersed area off the Conata Basin road — sits on the rim with a view straight across the badlands formations.
Why it's special
You're camping on the edge of a national park, for free, watching bison wander below you at sunset.
Best time to go
April–June and September–October. Summer is hot and humid.
Getting there
I-90 exit 131, then south on Sage Creek Rim Road (gravel) or Conata Basin Road.
Know before you go
- Free, 14-day limit.
- Bison roam free — keep 100 yards distance.
- Roads are clay; impassable when wet.
- Storms across the plains can be violent and fast.
Pro tips from boondockers
- Nomad View is the famous spot; arrive early on weekends.
- Drive the Badlands Loop Road inside the park at sunrise.
- Wall Drug is touristy but worth one stop.
- Watch the western horizon for storms — they move fast.
Combine with
Badlands NP, Black Hills, Wounded Knee.