Badlands Tour Company: Private Tours of the Badlands Sunset and Night Sky

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

From Rapid City: Private Tours of the Badlands

The Badlands don’t reveal themselves easily. From a distance, they look like a desert of jagged stone and silence, but when you know where to stand, when to arrive, and how to look, they come alive. The colors shift with the light. The wind carries stories older than memory. And if you time it right, the sun paints the ridges in a way that makes you stop speaking altogether.

That’s why I started Badlands Tour Company, a DBA of My XO Adventures. I’ve spent years guiding travelers through this land, learning its moods, its weather, and its secrets. To visit the Badlands means it can be fierce one minute and serene the next, and it takes more than a map to see them for what they really are. It takes someone who loves this place enough to read its cues — to lead you in from the best direction, in the right light, and with enough care to let you feel the wonder settle in.

When you travel with us, you’re not just checking a park off a list. You’re stepping into an experience shaped by intuition, timing, and respect for the land. We show you the silence most people miss. We pause where the layers of rock tell stories of time. We chase color when the sky starts to dance. Every turn is intentional, every stop chosen for a reason.

Guided exploration is what transforms a good day into something unforgettable. It’s what turns a drive through the park into a connection that lingers. We don’t just show you the Badlands — we help you feel them, in all their shifting light and stillness.

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

A 25% deposit is required to secure your reservation. Full payment is due 30 days before the scheduled tour date. If cancelled within 14 days of the tour, there is no refund. If cancelled outside 14 days of the tour, the deposit and any credit card fees will be retained by Badlands Tour Company (My XO Adventures), and the remainder will be refunded via check payment.

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.