Annual Visitors to Badlands National Park

Updated April 29th, 2022

Badlands National Park is a popular destination for many reasons. The unique landscape is unlike any other in the world and the views are breathtaking. The park is also home to a variety of wildlife, including bison, pronghorn, and bighorn sheep. Visitors can enjoy hiking, camping, and horseback riding in the park.

Badlands National Park had the most visitors of any other National Park in 2021. A total of 1.2 million people visited the park last year, which is a 26 percent increase from 2019. The temporary decrease in annual visits in 2020 was due to the park being shutdown at the start of the global pandemic. The expected total count of visitors in 2022 will be approximately 1.3 million visitors. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and Death Valley National Park are the two National Parks with similar annual visitor counts.

Annual Visitor Counts for Badlands National Park

Here is the most accurate data for the annual visitaiton counts. These counts come from the official NPS.gov website. Slight innacuracies may exist since counting practices have changed over time.

Badlands National Park is popular because of its unique geology and landscapes. The park has the largest collection of petrified wood in the world and is home to the world's richest fossil beds. The park also has a variety of wildlife, including bison, bighorn sheep, prairie dogs, and black-footed ferrets.

Annual Visitor Counts for Badlands National Park
YearCount of Visitors
20211,224,226
2020916,932
2019970,998
20181,008,942
20171,054,325
2016996,263
2015989,354
2014868,094
2013892,372
2012883,406
2011870,741
2010977,778
2009933,918
2008845,734
2007886,654
2006840,118
2005909,146
2004936,030
2003871,034
2002908,898
2001955,469
20001,105,824
1999950,453
19981,021,049
1997970,696
19961,024,705
19951,075,569
19941,130,459
19931,179,458
19921,205,297
Data last updated on April 29th, 2022. Sourced from irma.nps.gov

How many people visited Badlands National Park last year?

In 2021 there was a total of 1.2 million visitors to Badlands National Park.