Discover Interior: Prairie, Fossils, and Rodeo

Interior serves as a gateway to Badlands National Park and is one possible place for travelers to search if they want to make the park the focus of their stay. The Interior Entrance Station is one of the park’s three entrance stations and can be reached via US-44, which runs through town. Nearby, prairie, fossils, and geological features complement a visit to the park. If you’re looking for a vacation rental, Interior may therefore be a good place to start planning.

Prairie and Geological Traces

In nearby Badlands National Park, an area of 244,000 acres protects a mixed-grass prairie. Bison, bighorn sheep, prairie dogs, and black-footed ferrets live there. The landscape is shaped not only by its geological features: the prairie and its wildlife are also part of the park’s character. In addition, the park contains one of the world’s richest fossil beds. Nature and geology enthusiasts can explore these different aspects without having to focus on just one topic.

Interior’s agate deposits also draw rock collectors and geology enthusiasts. This offers another point of interest for trip planning: alongside the park’s prairie and fossils, the focus here is on the rock itself. When looking for accommodation, travelers can weigh whether their stay will be shaped mainly by exploring the park or by the town’s geological feature.

Hiking Trails for Your Preferred Distance

Nearby Badlands National Park offers established hiking trails ranging from short, easy boardwalk routes to a 10-mile trail through the Badlands landscape. This range makes it possible to factor your preferred walking distance into your daily plans, rather than treating every trail as the same kind of outing. A fully accessible boardwalk loop offers another specific option: along the trail are fossil replicas and exhibits about extinct creatures that once lived in the Badlands region. This lets you combine a walk with engaging information about ancient life.

Exhibits, Fossils, and Local History

The Ben Reifel Visitor Center is the main facility in the North Unit of Badlands National Park. Its museum exhibits cover mosasaurs and the more recent history of the Lakota, who live south of the park today. In the Fossil Preparation Lab, visitors can speak with park paleontologists as they remove rock from fossil specimens. The exhibits and fossil preparation work offer different ways to explore the region’s history and geology.

Prairie Homestead also connects local history with the park’s surroundings. The original sod house and homestead was built in 1909 and is located near the northeast entrance to Badlands National Park. Prairie Homestead is listed on the National Register of Historic Places; it was added in 1974. The site is closed in 2026. If you want to include this historic site in your travel plans, be sure to take its closure this year into account.

Since 2002, Native West Trading Company has sought to provide local artists with a platform for marketing their work. Its location in Interior is currently closed. This means its cultural work as part of the town’s character should be distinguished from a specific opportunity to visit.

Rodeo in Interior

The Interior Frontier Days Rodeo takes place at the Interior Rodeo Grounds in the town of Interior and is considered South Dakota’s oldest rodeo. It adds a local event to the nature and history themes. Dates and programs may change, so check the current event page before your trip if the rodeo is important to your plans.

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