Ben Reifel Visitor Center
Ben Reifel Visitor Center
Ben Reifel Visitor Center
4.5
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Visitor center with exhibits as well as nearby shop and restaurant facilities.
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- amberdanielsTorrance, California74 contributionsGreat visit in SD!Nice, clean visitor center in Badlands National Park. It has a little exhibit/museum explaining the climate and environment of the Badlands. The park rangers were very friendly and helpful in planning our visit. We ended up doing a few small boardwalk hikes and the Notch trail. Then we drove the Badlands loop trail and saw lots of longhorn sheep and buffalo along the trail. This was a beautiful and unique landscape designed naturally over the years. It looked like there was a lot of camping options as well.Visited May 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 8 May 2024
- cenztOhio21,401 contributionsTouring the Ben Reifel Visitor CenterGreat trip. We arrived at approximately 12:30 pm and made our way inside the visitor center. Admission into the visitor center was free, which is always a plus. There were multiple informational plaques out for display, detailing the geography of the area and the various forms of wildlife that once existed in the park. There were also multiple artifacts out for display. There was a gift shop and restrooms inside the visitor center as well. Tip: I recommend spending 1 hour here if you truly want to see everything.Visited August 2023Travelled with familyWritten 16 May 2024
- DianeERFalls Church, Virginia2,404 contributionsgood- but could be betterWe arrived at the visitor center around 11:30am after driving out from Rapid City & seeing the Minuteman Visitor Center first. The visitors center was extremely crowded. The ranger told us most people arrive at around the same time & leave by 4pm. The center was extremely crowded to walk around. Come earlier in the am or late pm for less crowds. There were no tours given which I found highly unusual since it was prime tourist season. Maybe short staffed? The gift shop at the Cedar Pass lodge has cheaper prices, more items & is a lot larger. This visitor center is OK, the movie fine, but just not as good as some other NP visitors center- it could be better. Worth a stop though- just buy your souvenirs at the lodge. We stayed 2 nights at the lodge & even though at $235 night, plus lots of fees, found it expensive, it was worth it. If you like my review, I hope you’ll click the “helpful” button; those of us who write reviews live for those and it motivates us to do more.Visited June 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 19 August 2024
- Brown_SamanthaKennewick, Washington1,829 contributionsInformative park rangers that provided great suggestionsThis visitor center is very clean and well organized. The park ranger we talked with was very friendly and informative. She helped with weather forecast to shape how we wanted to organize our hikes and drives. Also suggested sights not to miss around the area during our visit to South Dakota.Visited September 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 16 September 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
563 reviews
Excellent
305
Very good
202
Average
45
Poor
8
Terrible
3
windstarID
Twin Falls, ID282 contributions
Nov 2020 • Family
The staff are great at the center, but with Covid precautions in place, the only reason to stop is you feel compelled to pay the entrance fee. The (small) display is closed and only 15 folks at a time are let inside. The (small) gift shop isn't worth waiting in line for. The contrast between this visitor center and one at the Minuteman missile site up the road is striking.
Written 24 November 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dave S
Omaha, NE202 contributions
Oct 2020 • Couples
The visitor center at Badlands is smaller than others we have been to. The rangers were very helpful and there was information available. Use the restrooms here because there are not too many other opportunities after the visitor center. One thing they did not have was food. There was a small restaurant in the building next door but they did not have much of a menu and we had to order and eat outside in the snow.
Written 17 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sanju_222323
New Jersey17,322 contributions
Jul 2022
there's something for everyone at the Ben Reifel Visitor Center in the North Unit of Badlands National Park. Swing by the information desk, watch the park film, check out a working fossil preparation lab, enjoy museum exhibits, or stop by the park bookstore.
Cedar Pass Lodge- its the only available restaurant around it so make sure you pack something or carry lots of snacks.
Cedar Pass Lodge- its the only available restaurant around it so make sure you pack something or carry lots of snacks.
Written 21 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stephanie C
Brooklyn Park, MN188 contributions
Jun 2021
This is more than a gift shop despite what it looks like when you first enter the building. There are several dioramas depicting animal life that lived in the area millions of years ago and a ton of history. There is also an area of the building where they are preparing fossils for display. Very cool!
Written 24 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Anne O
Kennesaw, GA3,819 contributions
Sept 2021
Be sure to stop here if you're at the east end of the park. Maps are available and the Rangers are friendly and knowledgeable. There is a historical exhibit about the area and a scientist was actually there dissecting fossils. Very well done.
Written 24 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Laurie Ashley
Hope Mills, NC750 contributions
Jun 2021
This is a very small museum/visitor's center, but it is well run and well-managed. The rangers and other employees did a great job and were helpful and friendly. Loads of maps and helpful information. Don't need to stay long, but it's worth the maps and brochures to stop. Very clean restrooms, bring your water bottle for a fill up. Was super crowded in there the day we went, but we still were able to very quickly get the information we needed, use the restroom, fill our water bottles and head out into the park with a good plan.
A few kid-friendly museum-type displays. Small retail area as well.
A few kid-friendly museum-type displays. Small retail area as well.
Written 14 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Grover R
Pensacola, FL22,266 contributions
Sept 2021
Good VC with impressive formations around it. The VC is on the eastern end with more of the hikes and very close to the lodge and restaurant. After eating at the restaurant, I stopped by the VC to get souvenirs and a park map. It along with the lodge/restaurant have restrooms connected to sewer (no vaults). The formations across the street from the VC were very impressive.
Written 27 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JM Cirlin
Overland Park, Ks250 contributions
May 2022
Probably the most comprehensive visitor center I've seen. Great selection of souvenirs, as well as educational materials. The museum includes human history, wildlife, fossils and geology. Too bad the movie projector wasn't working. We saw the film on our iPad instead. Great park and visitor center!
Written 26 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tiran A
Miami, FL40 contributions
Aug 2020 • Couples
I enjoyed this visitor center which is located along the scenic byway in the Badlands National Park. It proved to be the best place to buy gifts and was staffed by nice and informative individuals. There was a small wait to get in due to social distancing guidelines, but it was worth the 5-10 minute wait.
Written 11 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Amie
Indianapolis, IN19 contributions
Jun 2021 • Family
The Ben Reifel visitor center was a great spot before venturing in the Badlands. There is a fossil lab at the back of the visitor center, that our young family of 5 loved! We did not realize so many people find fossils while visiting the park. Also highly recommend the night sky program provided by the park rangers! We learned so much. Definite highlight of our trip! Well done Badlands park rangers and staff!
Written 20 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Are the visitors center restrooms open during the evening or is access closed when the center has closed (closing time listed at 4pm currently)?
Written 28 July 2021
i cannot answer with 100% certainty, however i believe that all restrooms at this VC are located inside and are behind locked doors. There are a number of restrooms at various roadside pulloffs that would still be available after hours though. The park map reflects all of those restrooms locations quite poorly.
Written 31 July 2021
How much time ( hours, days, etc) would you recommend to see this park? Want more than a drive through, but don't want to plan too much time either.
Written 29 September 2017
It depends on how much you want to explore. We spent at least an hour just in the visitor's center. If you hike and what to see everything at least a day to a day and a half.
Written 18 October 2017
When was the visitors center built?
Written 24 September 2016
Not sure but I think about 1957 and it was reopened after a remodel with 95 new exhibits in 2006.
Written 1 October 2016
I want to recant my last question. In further reading I learned that the Big Foot overlook at the Badlands is named for the Lakota known as a peacekeeper. I apologize for jumping to conclusions about the name. I guess in my defense, my husband is a big fan of the supossed sasquash by the same name and I do not know all the history of Wounded Knee. I will tomottow, when we go to the Wounded Knee museum in Wall before we hit the Loop. Again, my apologies.
Written 2 August 2015
Planning out trip on the Loop. I've read there is a Big Foot Pass Overlook near the Ben Reifel center, but can't find any details about it. Can you tell me anything about it? Husband is a Big Foot believer and thought this would be neat for him to hear any stories that go along with it or even a sign to take a pic of. Thank you.
Written 31 July 2015
How long does it take to view the exhibits? Sioux Falls is our pitstop to Mount Rushmore. We will probably be arriving around 6pm. We are on a tight schedule and need to head to our next destination in the morning. Since we've been to the Science Museum of Minnesota a couple of months ago should we pass on this attraction and check something else out? Thank you kindly and any input is greatly appreciated:)
Written 12 May 2015
The visitor center shouldn't take more than an hour or two. However, it is a long way from Sioux Falls. Take your time and smell the roses, you're not in a cross country race. I'd suggest a rest stop at the Chamberlain Rest Area (they have an interesting exhibit). If you have to gas up, stop across the river in Tacoma rather than driving into Chamberlain for gas. When you get near the badlands, take the east entrance into the Badlands. You come out the other end of the Badlands at Wall, SD. From there, Rapid City is only 50 miles away. You can get a motel in Rapid City before going up to see Rushmore
Written 5 July 2015
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