Talk to Your Guide: (605) 252-9100
Talk to Your Guide: (605) 252-9100
Let It Snow: A Frozen Badlands Adventure. This winter the tour runs December 1, 2026 through March 15, 2027.
The Badlands in Winter is a magical and enchanting experience that allows participants to embrace the beauty and wonder of the silent season. This tour typically takes place in locations where winter’s charm is at its peak, such as snowy vast landscapes, formations of great contrast, or rugged peaks and spires connected by Badlands Loop Road.
Badlands National Park should not be overlooked by those who love the great outdoors. The park boasts over 244,000 acres of stunning natural beauty. You’ll be astounded at unique landscapes with towering formations, deep canyons, and sprawling prairies.
One of the secrets of Badlands National Park is its fascinating geological history. The park was formed over millions of years through deposition followed by massive erosion. The colorful formations that make up the park’s landscape result from volcanic activity and deposition.
Our Badlands Winter Tour offers incredible wildlife sightseeing. Many of the region’s most sought-after animals call the park home, including bison, bighorn sheep, pronghorn antelope, and coyotes. The Badlands National Park Winter Tour gives you time to watch them, and on foot we stay at least 100 yards from any wild animal.
Winter in the Badlands is beautiful and wild, and conditions can change quickly. Snow, ice, and cold can affect road access and timing, and on rare occasions weather may lead us to adjust the route or reschedule for everyone’s safety. Your guide watches conditions closely and drives a well-equipped vehicle with heated seats, blankets, and hand warmers, so you stay warm and comfortable while we make the most of the day.
Winter is a magical time in the Black Hills and Badlands. Getting out and taking advantage of this opportunity is well worth it. With its stark beauty and rugged terrain, the park is transformed by a blanket of snow, offering visitors a unique and unforgettable experience.
Our Badlands Winter Tour uses a 4×4 GMC Yukon XL equipped with everything we need. Get a great view of the region’s iconic landmarks, such as Pinnacles Overlook and Panorama Point. Enjoy the stunning scenic views while safely crossing the snow-covered other-worldly and wild features.
One of the highlights of a winter tour of Badlands National Park is the opportunity to view wildlife in their natural habitat. The park’s bison, bighorn sheep, and pronghorns are often more active in winter, which can make them easier to spot. That said, these are wild, free-roaming animals, so sightings are never guaranteed. Imagine watching a herd of bison roam across a snow-covered prairie, a sight you’ll never forget.
Badlands National Park Winter Photography offers endless opportunities to capture stunning images. The snow-covered landscape contrasts the park’s rugged sedimentary formations, and the soft winter light creates a dreamy, ethereal quality perfect for landscape photography. Whether you’re a professional photographer or enjoy taking pictures, you’ll love the winter scenery at Badlands National Park.
One of the best things about a winter tour of Badlands National Park is that you’ll have the park practically to yourself. With fewer visitors during the winter months, you’ll be able to enjoy the park’s natural beauty in peace. You’ll also have more room to enjoy the scenery without the crowds.
At the right places and times, our Badlands National Park Winter Wonderland Tour offers the chance to see Bison, Prairie Dogs, Bighorn Sheep, and Antelope (plus great selfies!). Wildlife is wild and free-roaming, so a sighting is never guaranteed, but the search is half the fun. We’ll stop to look at each and take in the scenery at the park. Sometimes, you might have to be silent and take your time, but it’s worth the wait. Bison breathe out warm clouds, coyotes howl, and birds soar overhead.
Heated seats, sharp eyes, and a great camera help us capture the moments in comfort as we meander through Badlands Loop Road. Wall Drug is open year-round and serves up hot meals after our visit!
How can you not celebrate the beauty of the park in winter? I’m not sure, but our guests do love it despite the cold. Ghost towns covered in snow, overlooks with no visitors to be seen, and great wildlife spotting.
We’re open all year for Badlands Tours and Black Hills Tours. We include all the creature comforts and a 4×4 GMC Yukon to enjoy a Badlands National Park in winter. Some of our best experiences with guests happen at this time of year. Rest assured, you’ll love the Badlands in Winter as much as we do!
Winter tours of the Badlands are as beautiful and serene as ever. Unparalleled views of a vast white expanse make this park a must-see during the colder months.
The park’s diverse wildlife is still present in the Badlands National Park winter months, so visitors have plenty of opportunities to observe nature in its pristine state. From eagles soaring above the vast open plains to antelope grazing the snow-covered grasslands, there are countless unique encounters.
Our Badlands National Park Winter Tour is a rare and memorable way to experience the park at its quietest and most striking.
The snow may be cold, but your heart will be warm with the memories you make here. Make sure to plan your trip this season for a truly unforgettable experience!
Offering fascinating Badlands Tours From Rapid City | My XO Adventures
★★★★★4 months agoAn unparalleled experience for wildlife professionals and enthusiasts alike!
My son and I, both biologists, recently joined Logan for the Wildlife Biologist’s Field Expedition in the Badlands and outer prairie lands of South Dakota. To put it simply, we had an amazing time.
This tour is truly one-of-a-kind; it is the only one in the region that provides such deep access to both the Badlands and the surrounding prairie ecosystems. What really set this experience apart was how Logan customized the entire day to match our specific interests. It was immediately evident that Logan isn’t just a guide—he has genuine, extensive field experience in tracking and working with wildlife, and his knowledge of both biology and local history is top-notch.
The logistics were perfect. We traveled comfortably in his roomy, air-conditioned van, which allowed us to navigate between optimal wildlife viewing locations with ease. He even provided extra sets of high-quality binoculars, which were a great touch. Throughout the trip, he took professional-grade photos of the wildlife and shared them with us, providing a fantastic memento of the day.
We had incredible sightings, including prairie dogs, burrowing owls, bison, a bald eagle, several pronghorns, and mule deer. If you are a wildlife enthusiast looking for a professional, expert-led expedition, I cannot recommend Logan’s tour enough.
★★★★★2 weeks agoWe spent two days touring with Daniel and learning so much about the beauty and diversity of South Dakota. He has so much knowledge. We have done tours all over the world and Daniel is perhaps the most knowledgable and entertaining guide we’ve ever had. We think if you want to really experience South Dakota, give XO Adventures a call!
★★★★★a month agoMy husband and I think this is the BEST way to experience the National Parks like Rushmore and the Black Hills. A private tour with our guide, Logan, driving so that we could both take in the scenic views and learn the history/ background of the park. I did not know that Iron Mtn road was created to show us multiple views of Rushmore on our way.. and the reason homesteaders thought the hills were black ! Multiple stops, hikes, lunch, private places to enjoy the wonder! Logan was very knowledgeable, (biology, history, animal sighting) and made the day fun and enjoyable!!! Highly recommend!!
★★★★★2 months agoMy husband and I just took a My XO Adventures Badlands “sunset and golden hour” photo tour from Retired Dan. It was phenomenal - and highly recommended! He picked us up a bit before 3:00 p.m. and whisked us off to Badlands National Park. Along the way he gave us some history about the development of the Rapid City area, and how it’s connected to this land. The photos started once we entered the park, with some prairie dogs and cattle. We quickly started shooting the stunning geography. Then we became the subjects as well! Dan challenged us to climb to “just to right spots” to get some spectacular shots. As the sun started setting and the “golden hour” arrived, we were treated to a real show by Mother Nature. Once the stars came out, Dan gave us some astronomy lessons - and helped us capture some great shots of the Milky Way. Along the way, Dan made sure to stop for bio breaks, ensured we had snacks, and were well hydrated (it’s super-dry here). We also stopped for dinner (everyone packs their own) after witnessing the glorious sunset. We cannot recommend this experience enough!
★★★★★2 months agoI can’t recommend this company and its wonderful guides enough. The experience from beginning to end was seamless and stress free. Having never been to this part of the country, we booked back to back days to make sure we got the chance to really see/experience all that this beautiful land had to offer and to learn more about the Lakota. The tour guides were knowledgeable, friendly, helpful and fun! If you’re lucky enough to get a Dan - there are two and we had both, you’ll have an amazing tour. The tour was not a scripted presentation - it was a thoughtful, customized and engaging experience that exceeded our expectations! Dan brought in a Native American educator named Jake who joined us for the trip and shared with us his perspective. Don’t think twice about booking with My XO Adventures, an awesome adventure awaits you!
Two guests pay from $672.35 plus tax and fees on tour dates Dec 1, 2026 to Mar 15, 2027. Other dates cost more, so two guests pay up to $791 from Nov 1, 2027. Each added guest is from $212.50, and a group can have up to five guests. You see the exact price for your group and date before you pay. The tour runs about 6 hours, and all park entry fees are included. A picnic-style meal can be added for $20 per person.
Every departure is private to your group, with pickup from your Rapid City area lodging. My XO Adventures is rated 5.0 out of 5 on Google by 657 travelers.
Tipping is part of how your guide is paid, so if they gave you a good day, a tip is expected rather than a bonus.
Your guide will be one of the named, certified guides on our Meet Your Guides page, and if you want to know which one leads your date, ask us before you book and we will answer with a name. Every guide is trained on the places we take you, the wildlife you might see and the history along the way.
The Badlands in winter are the same dramatic landscape most visitors only see in summer, transformed by snow, low light, and near-empty overlooks. Here is what guests most often ask.
Pick this one if you want the park’s spires and formations in winter. Pick the Black Hills Winter Wonderland Tour if you want Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park and Sylvan Lake in the snow. If you have two days, the two tours pair well because they cover different ground.
This tour may not be the best fit if you want a fast-moving day, because we go at a leisurely pace and we may wait quietly for wildlife. If you’d rather spend your winter day around Mount Rushmore, our Black Hills Winter Wonderland Tour is the one for that.
Yes, the park and the loop road stay open year-round, weather permitting, and winter crowds are a fraction of the summer crowds.
Snow settles on the striped spires and the low winter light sharpens every ridge, and many guests find it the most dramatic season to photograph.
Days often sit well below freezing with wind. The 4×4 stays warm between stops, and hot drinks are always on hand. Wear a warm jacket, layers, gloves, a scarf and a hat, and we highly recommend long underwear.
We may see bison or bighorn sheep on the winter Badlands. Neither is guaranteed, but both are possible, and they stand out beautifully against the snow.
We operate rain or shine. A tour is only canceled if the weather is treacherous and cannot be carried out safely, and we communicate with you ahead of time if conditions are in question.
If you want the Badlands without the crowds, winter is the best-kept secret on the calendar, because it’s the same landscape, transformed, with room to take it in quietly.