Badlands Tours: Private Excursions for Sunset and Night Sky Viewing

Explore the raw, untamed, and majestic wilderness of Badlands National Park

From Rapid City: Private Tours of the Badlands

The Badlands aren't a place that easily gives itself away. From afar, they appear as a desert of rocky outcroppings and quiet, but when you know where to position yourself, when to get there, and how to observe, they come alive. The colors change with the light. The wind is full of tales that are older than memory. And if you time it just right, the sun will paint the tops of the hills in a way that will make you stop talking altogether.

This is why I founded the Badlands Tour Company, DBA of My XO Adventures. I have been leading tourists through this region of the country for years, learning its rhythms, its weather, and its secrets. To come to the Badlands is to experience a place that can be fierce one minute and peaceful the next, and it takes more than a guidebook to understand them for what they truly are. It takes someone who cares enough about this place to listen to its rhythms, lead you in from the right direction, at the right time of day, and with enough care that you can feel the wonder of it all settle into you.

When you come with us, you are not simply checking another park off your list. You're embarking on an experience that is driven by instinct, timing, and a deep respect for the land. We will show you the quiet that most people never see. We will stop in the places where the rock layers tell tales of time. We will hunt color when the sky begins to dance. Every turn, every stop, is deliberate.

The act of guided exploration is what makes a good day into something truly unforgettable. It is what turns a drive through the park into an experience that will stay with you. We don’t simply take you to the Badlands. We help you feel them, in all their ever-changing light and quiet.Badlands Tour Company - This is what we do. This is who we are.

From Rapid City: Sunset Tours of the Badlands

There’s nothing quite like watching the Badlands come alive as the sun begins to set. Our Private Sunset Tour of the Badlands captures the park at its most breathtaking moment, when the light softens and the colors shift through shades of gold, rose, and amber. The towering formations seem to glow from within, and the quiet of the evening settles over the land like a deep exhale.

With Badlands Tour Company, you’ll experience this magic in comfort and connection guided by locals who know the stories, the hidden lookouts, and the best spots to witness nature’s grand finale. Every sunset here feels personal, like a secret shared between you and the earth. It’s not just a tour. It’s a memory that lingers long after the light fades. This sunset tour includes private transportation from Rapid City. Make your booking with one of our guides today!

From Rapid City: Night Sky Tours of the Badlands

From Rapid City: Badlands National Park Wildlife Tour

When the last colors of sunset fade and the stars begin to rise, the Badlands transform into something truly otherworldly. Our Night Sky Tours of the Badlands invite you to step into the quiet wonder of a starlit desert, where the Milky Way stretches across the sky in a shimmering arc and shooting stars trace quicksilver lines overhead. Far from city lights, the darkness here feels alive. Deep, peaceful, and endlessly vast.

Guided by our knowledgeable team at Badlands Tour Company, you’ll learn about the constellations, the ancient stories they hold, and the unique ways the Badlands connect earth to sky. It’s a humbling and unforgettable experience, one that reminds you how important we all are and how beautiful that can be.

The Badlands Wildlife Tour is where adventure meets discovery. Badlands Tour Company reveals a side of the Badlands few ever get to see up close. From grazing bison and graceful pronghorn to alert prairie dogs and soaring hawks, the land teems with life shaped by time and resilience. Each stop along the way presents an opportunity to observe, learn, and appreciate the delicate balance of this ancient ecosystem. It’s a wild and humbling experience that reminds you of the immense beauty that thrives in the open spaces of South Dakota.

From Rapid City: Badlands National Park Winter Wonderland

The Badlands National Park Winter Wonderland Tour invites you to experience one of South Dakota’s most stunning landscapes in its quietest and most magical season. When winter settles across the prairie, the rugged formations take on an entirely new personality — soft snow highlights the ridges, and the light dances across frozen valleys in shades of silver and blue. The air is crisp, the crowds are gone, and the silence feels almost sacred. This is a season for stillness, reflection, and awe. Every turn of the road feels serene and cinematic, as if the Badlands are revealing a secret meant only for those willing to brave the chill and see its quiet beauty firsthand.

Payment and Terms

More than 60 days prior to the trip start date, we will grant you a 75% refund Between 59 and 30 days prior to the trip start date, we will grant you a 50% refund. Between 29 and 15 days prior to the trip start date, we will grant you a 25% refund. Less than 15 days prior to the trip start date, or once the trip has begun, there will be no refund. Payment in full is required to secure your reservation. Any refunds will be made by check to the address of record.

Spectacular Landscapes

The stark beauty of the Badlands landscape is breathtaking, with its towering buttes, steep canyons, and razor-sharp spires jutting out against the horizon. Each time of the day reveals new shapes and shadows. Contrasts between the natural prairie and cliff faces reveal a whole new world.

Incredible Sunsets

The sunsets in Badlands National Park are second to none, with the vibrant colors of the sky contrasting against the sharp and jagged rocks, creating a peaceful and unforgettable experience. This is undoubtedly the best place to witness sunsets in South Dakota with Badlands Tour Company

Stargazing

With its remote location, almost no light pollution, and perfect viewing conditions, Badlands National Park is considered one of the best places for stargazing in North America. Bring your binoculars for an awe-inspiring view of the night sky.

Wildlife

With its rugged terrain, Badlands National Park is home to over 60 species of mammals, including bighorn sheep, bison, swift foxes, badgers, bison, prairie dogs and pronghorns. You’ll also see plenty of birds, including bald and golden eagles, soaring through the skies.

Fossils

A major draw to Badlands National Park is its fossils. Badlands National Park is home to an abundance of fossilized wonders, ranging from ancient plants and animals, to tracks and burrows of creatures long gone. Fossil beds can be found throughout the park, but look don’t touch. If you find a fossil, report it to a Park Ranger!

Minerals

Spend an afternoon searching for agates, quartz, geodes and more on this exciting private tour of Buffalo Gap National Grasslands. Learn how to hunt for agates and take home any discoveries you make on this incredible adventure.

Directions to Badlands National Park

If you’re not exploring with Badlands Tour Company, most visitors to the Badlands National Park enter through the north side of the park on I90. Take exit 110 at Wall, SD, to enter Badlands Loop Road. You can also continue past exit 110 to exit 131, located at the Minuteman Missile Museum.

Alternatively, you can enter through the south side by taking Highway 44 to the town of Interior, SD, where you’ll find the entrance. Rangers are located at all entrances.

Badlands Loop Road

The Badlands Loop Road is 32 miles long and designed in part by Peter Norbeck. This is no ordinary road. It was constructed to highlight the most beautiful views of Badlands National Park. In total, there are 14 marked overlooks with parking.

In addition, there are pull-offs where you can stop and take in the scenery. Driving the loop straight through takes a little over an hour. With a guide, it can easily take 2 hours to view the entire Badlands Loop Road.

Sage Creek Rim Road

This is the most overlooked area in the park and perhaps the most stunning. It’s a dirt road, which makes some uneasy, but don’t worry, it’s meant for your enjoyment. Sage Creek Rim Road has extensive views of Badlands National Park and just so happens to be the most likely place to see Bison, Prairie Dogs, Coyotes, Badgers, and Deer.