Buffalo Gap Dispersed Camping

This is a great dispersed site right next to The Badlands National Park. In October, there were only about 20 campers at most (lots of available space). The views from here are amazing, as well as sunrise and sunset. It can get quite windy. Very quiet!

This was an our first time dispersed camping so we weren’t sure exactly what to expect. There were lots of campers (probably 20 other cars), but the views are unmatched. Waking up at dawn and watching the sunrise over the Badlands is breathtaking! Really easy access. We saw people with all size trailers parked. Lots of space to spread out. Not much for privacy, but with views like that, who cares!

Loved the close proximity to the badlands literally just down the road from the scenic loop. Plenty of spaces this time of year had my pic. Only downside was the wind which died down in the evening. Stars were fantastic. Wall drug had free water. Oh and I came in from Mitchell SD from the east and skipped the highway and took HWY 248 which runs paralell but I had the road to myself for 2 hours what a peace scenic ride.

We camped here on a Sunday night.  Lots of campers along a road which was about 6 miles long along the top of a cliff.  We thought we found a nice spot away from others, but two huge campers pulled in after dinner right next to us on the opposite side of the road.  Beautiful view of the badlands and we enjoyed watching the sunset from our site.  After we went to bed, the wind picked up big time and howled for several hours.  It was strong enough to shake the trailer.  It died down before midnight.  You can't really hike down into the badlands from the cliff so the only place to walk is along the top of the cliff past the other campers.  No services, but free.

I camping here from 8/15 to 8/21.   Far, the weather has been amazing.  I moved spots about 3 days in.  The first spot was great except for Cell Service (t-mobile) that exact spot was a dead spot.  After moving south one spot about 60 feet, i went from 1-2mb/s to 40-60mb/s.  Roads are rough but do-able I am pulling a 29ft toyhauler with a Chevy silverado 1500.  I cecomend taking the north entrance or if taking the main (by Radio towers) then turn left when you get to the wall.

Thursday night you August was busy. However, the sunrise the next morning made it worth the stop.

We have stayed here twice, it was easy to find and lots of available spots but it’s just on a cliff’s edge so there are TONS of strong gusts of winds, it caused our tent to cave in and I ended up sleeping in the car. There was a goat, that was cool, but otherwise I don’t recommend for tent camping (go to sage creek campground, also free)

I stayed here for 2 nights as a solo female traveler. It is minutes from the Badlands entrance. There were a lot of people around (I stayed in early July) so I always felt safe even at nights. It's pretty open land so it was hard finding a private area to use the bathroom. I slept in a tent the first night, but it got really windy on night 2, so I just slept in the car. Overall, I highly recommend staying here as it is free and absolutely beautiful.

I arrived solo with my kitty road companion, and ended up meeting so many other solo travelers. We moved together in the same area and somehow a few day trip turned into 11 days.

Such a great place to camp. HOT AF though during the day when I was there. At night the WIND BE WIND’N.

I’d definitely come back.

This was a great stay very close to badlands np. Easy to find, lots of spots, not a lot of privacy but great views

This area is so remote and quiet, stars everywhere and the wind is wild! We showed up super late in the evening on a weekend and had zero issues finding a spot. Closest gas station is 10 minutes away for anyone who needs a restroom nearby or a grocery store.

If you’re visiting the Badlands you gotta stay here! Plenty of spots mid July, the road is long so just keep driving until you find one you like. The road is gravel and our old van did it no problem. The views are beautiful. Spots are somewhat spread out but you can still see everyone, so not a lot of privacy during the day if you gotta pee outside, but we made it work. There aren’t any bathrooms, but the town of Wall isn’t far up the road. Short drive to get into the Pinnacles entrance of the badlands. Service was good for both Verizon and T-mobile.

Stopped for 1 night before heading to the Badlands and stayed in a tent. We had a great flat spot to set up and admire the view.

this place was absolutely beautiful, the sunset and sunrises were unbelievable. Great place to go hiking if you don’t mind the wind. anywhere you park will be an amazing view and it’s really quiet. very peaceful, will definitely come again!

The views are beyond words, truly an incredible experience to wake up to. Plenty of space for all. Not 5 minutes drive from the park entrance. Will be coming back.

The night we stayed was very windy. It was really hard to find a spot, even 2 hours before sunset. Cows will come right up to the campsite (sorta cool).

Honestly, nice view for a night but nothing more. Too many people that park right next to you even with multiple open spots and all the views are the same. Wind is non stop, no biggie if you wanna stay inside a camper but not a good tent spot during spring or if you wanna be outside. Also dont plan on taking a crap theres zero privacy or places to dig a hole. just go to Badland National and move on.

The campsites are basically outcrops off of the main road which means typical dispersed camping with no amenities. The views from the campsites are astounding. Very serene landscape with plenty of wildlife. The road is long and I suggest following it all the way before picking a campsite.

A wonderful place to sleep. Windy but quiet. Making a fire is forbidden.

We stayed here for 5 days There were a lot of others here, but everyone keeps a good distance between campers so it’s really great.
We did have to work a bit to get level(most areas are slanted so being leveling blocks or wood to lift) Super quiet at night so great sleeping. Here at end of September so night nice and cool Has quick access to Badlands and Wall, SD.
We will defiantly stay again.

Had a fantastic experience at the “wall”. I pulled into what seemed like pure grassland only to be wonderfully surprised by the scenic wall of badlands! We arrived Friday afternoon and there were some RVers but plenty of room and spaces were still available.

Snagged a great spot our first day, pitched our tent, and enjoyed the view. Fellow tenters, beware, it does get a bit windy at night.

10/10 experience. Most definitely would come back

This place is very beautiful, staying at the badlands was so cool. The sunset over the field was gorgeous and being able to stay right on the edge of the rocks was fun. We woke up to some cow neighbors so make sure to put your food away at night.

I’m here right now in my tent, and I can say that this is my favorite camping experience I’ve ever had. I pulled on in and got an excellent spot right on the cliff without looking hard at all. I set up my tent and started boiling water to boil some eggs, and make some Ramen noodles because I was hungry And some people nearby were being friendly and we were talking and they invited me to have dinner with them at their RV and they had cooked steak, corn on the cob, and baked potatoes. It was an amazing experience, and the place was absolutely stunning. 10 out of 10 would definitely recommend again. There are quite a few people here but that’s all right. If you don’t have a big problem with generators running, you’ll be fine. I kind of enjoy the sound. It’s like a nice ceiling fan. Rather quiet but you can still tell that it’s there.

I stayed at 7 paid campgrounds during 3 weeks in SD and this free dispersed site remains my favorite. I got there shortly before sundown on a Wednesday and it was PACKED. Luckily there was still a good spot by the entrance, but over the three days I was there it was always pretty full. Early afternoons seemed the best time to arrive and grab a location.

The sunrises were beautiful, but it does get VERY windy! Also nothing else level and the potholes in the road will rock the daylights out of you if you accidentally hit one (guilty), but it’s all worth the view.

Cell service is also phenomenal (the best I’ve had in months) as a cell tower is literally right in front of the sites. A great spot for anyone who also works remotely.

This beautiful place overlooks the badlands. We entered on the second road right by the cell tower. We heard that turning left at the wall was a smoother route. Even though the place was full we kept going and found plenty of spots to camp. We choose one opposite the edge but it was too small and angled for someone to camp there. This gave us a perfect spot to set up our chairs and enjoy the view. This is dispersed camping so there are no services. Pack in/pack out is important. This also means that folks have dogs off leash but they were respectful of keeping their dogs away from our reactive dog. This is a beautiful, free gem of a place to stay at.

The views are amazing and the sunset is beyond words. There was minimal wind and the temperature was tolerable. Glad I made this stop.

Only drove by and checked it out, looked amazing, everyone we talked to said it was so fun to be camping up on the cliff. Wish I had known about it before we made reservations to camp in interior. Definitely will be staying there next time we go through SD.

Camping at “The Wall” is an amazing experience! Waking up to miraculous views and ending your days with stunning sunsets is truly what camping is all about. Here at The Wall, you are camping on a cliff that runs along the Badlands. Prairie on one side, the badlands on the other.

The site is about 6-8 miles from the town of Wall, so while you are in a remote area, you still have ready access to food, shopping, and gas if you need it. Wall Drug is also pretty cool and worth a stop.

You are about 15-20 minutes away from the Minuteman Missile Museum, which is an awesome place to visit. There are three sites, so make sure you take the time to see them all. Some of the staff at the Visitors Center actually worked the facility during the Cold War and have tons of information to share.

You are (obviously) very close to the Badlands NP, one of the entrances is a stones throw from the Boondocking area.

Pro tips: Most of the Boondocking area is not level, and the ground is a soft-ish volcanic soil. Bring wooden planks to level your rig and use as Jack pads as the Lego levelers will sink. Also plan to be really out of level, up to 6” off on some sites.

It’s a cool area, but the roads in the Boondocking area are dirt, not level, steep in places, and full of potholes. Be very careful driving in as it can be very hard to see the potholes, and they are pretty serious.

Completely unobstructed view of the Buffalo gap. After turning onto the main road for the site (gravel, potholes), you’ll come up to the gap. There isn’t a bad place to park, but we parked about 500 yards along the gap to the left after the road meets it. Stunning view.

We stayed overnight mid April- it got down to 26 degrees so dress for the weather! The landscape is unforgiving (windy, no shade, etc.) Water is key!

This dispersed campsite has a stunning north-facing view (depending on the angle you park) with the gap right below you. Honestly, don’t even bother paying to get into the National park unless you’re passionate about seeing Buffalo up close.

Not too crowded, got to 26 degrees in mid April (so pack for the weather!)