Badlands Pinnacles Backcountry Road

This forgotten ranch road starts at Scenic, SD and heads south into the Buffalo Gap National Grassland, providing access to spectacular badlands formations without the crowds of the national park. The route follows section lines and ranch tracks through mixed private and BLM land, passing towering pinnacles and fossil-rich formations that rival anything in the main park.

Standard high-clearance vehicles handle most sections fine, though spring mud and washouts can trap the unprepared. Key challenge is navigation — GPS tracks are essential since many turns aren’t marked and private land boundaries shift. Best from June through September when roads firm up and landowner access agreements are most reliable. You’ll find incredible fossil hunting, photography opportunities, and camping on BLM sections, plus a humbling reminder of how big and empty South Dakota really is.