The bay itself was fine, with a small shop for rentals or any quick essentials. COVID, however, still exists. Not a single mask worn and so many tr*mp flags that it felt unsafe for two women travelers.
Perfect for a quick stop and it was even better for my dogs. After 3 days driving, they were restless and needed to run for a bit. This area was perfect for that! I had very happy dogs who even posed for a photo with the Jolly Green Giant!
I backtracked to see the prairie dogs, but it was absolutely worth it! The road where this is located is off the main path, but it offers spectacular views of the badlands. The prairie dogs were adorable. Two female prairie dogs didn't seem to be bothered by my presence. They let me inch up to them until I was about 3 feet away. At one point, one of them surprised me by coming up from behind and was grazing very close to me. I spent hours photographing them (I still used a telephoto lens to get amazing shots). One of my favorite parts of the badlands.
Bring a bag chair and seat yourself amongst them. You can sit on the ground like I did, but you'll walk away covered in prairie dog urine - not the best smell.
I wish I could have stayed for the lighting ceremony! It was so nice I saw it twice. It's obviously a point of pride for the U.S., so it's worth a visit if you're any where close.
The park staff weren't too helpful when mentioning where the bison were. Another staffer told me that they weren't near any roads the day of my visit. I suppose that I should have anticipated that this was a possibility. Somehow I just expected to see them. For some reason,
I couldn't find the wildlife loop and google maps wasn't an option, since the cell signal is spotty. If you're just doing a drive-through to see the wildlife and nothing else, the experience might be disappointing.
100% worth the stop! I absolutely loved the sculptures and the whimsy Bill Swets employs to each item - whether it's the Schultz tribute or a grinning Dino - these sculptures are a must see!