Badlands Astronomy Festival
June 18, 19, and 20, 2025
Join space buffs and starry-eyed newbies alike at the Annual Badlands Astronomy Festival for a cosmic celebration! Our dark skies and the wonders of space exploration come alive with daily family-friendly activities and evening presentations featuring special guest speakers.
Get ready for planetarium visits, solar telescope viewings, and technology demos. Sponsored by NPS Night Sky Program and Celestron, nightly telescope sessions let you marvel at the universe.
This three-day fete at Badlands National Park underscores the importance of protecting our precious night skies. In a world plagued by light pollution, our corner of the Great Plains remains unspoiled. So come and revel in the pristine dark skies with us!
Stop by the Ben Reifel Visitor Center or check the schedule below for this year’s lineup. No need for advance registration; most events are wheelchair-accessible.
What you'll see in The Badlands
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Can you see the Milky Way in the Badlands?
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Yes, you can! On a clear night when the moon is hidden and the Milky Way is above the horizon line, the Milky Way is visible in the Badlands. At the Badlands Astronomy Festival, you will get a deeper explanation on how to find specific constellations.
Can you spend the night in Badlands National Park?
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Yes you can.
When considering an overnight stay in Badlands National Park, Cedar Pass Lodge is the only in-park lodging option. They offer cabin rentals, and further details as well as booking options can be found on their website.
For front-country camping options, the park has two official campgrounds. The first is Cedar Pass RV and Campground, a paid site with 96 total spaces, some designated for RV camping with electric hookups. Reservations can be made by contacting Cedar Pass Lodge online or by calling 877-386-4383. The other is Sage Creek Campground is a free, first-come, first-served campground offering 22 sites. Motor homes, pull-behind trailers, and recreational vehicles over 18 feet in length are not permitted.
For those preferring back-country camping, this is permissible anywhere in the park, provided the site is at least 0.5 miles from any road or trail and not visible from them.
How cold does it get in the Badlands at night?
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Weather in the Badlands can vary and be rather unpredictable with temperatures ranging from 116° F to -40° F.
However, in the summer months, the average high is 84F° and the average low is 55F°.
We always recommend layers when visiting the Badlands to account for cool evenings.
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