From the moment you enter Badlands National Park, the landscape will amaze you. Towering rock formations, deep canyons, and colorful layers of sediment stretched across the horizon, creating a scene that felt more like another planet than the rolling prairies of South Dakota. As you're driving along the miles of open grassland, it's hard to believe that these rugged cliffs exist until you suddenly see them.

When you think of the American West, images of rugged badlands, roaming bison, and wide-open skies often come to mind. Theodore Roosevelt National Park offers all this and more, spread across three units in western North Dakota. I’ve spent time exploring the North and South units, and I want to share what makes each unique, along with tips to help you get the most out of your visit.