Badlands National Park in August
August at Badlands National Park averages a daytime high near 88°F and an overnight low around 55°F, with about 2" of precipitation. Visitation runs about 2.5× the park's average month, which makes August a very busy month here.
- Average low
- 55°F
- Average high
- 88°F
Range across the year: 10°F to 88°F
- Precipitation
- 2.0 in
- Daylight
- 13.8 hours
Roughly 20% of the park's yearly visitors come in August: about 214,000 recreation visits in a typical year, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.
That makes August the 2nd-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the July peak (2.9×) and the December low (0.1×).
On our Best Time to Visit score August rates 50/100 ("Fair"). Our recommended month is May: the lightest crowds of the park's good-weather months.
The daily average of about 71°F is a comfortable range for hiking and being outdoors all day. These figures are 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals from the nearest station, about 20.6 miles from the park.
August falls inside the park's busiest stretch: June, July and August together pull about 64% of the year's visitors, so a visit this month means sharing the park with the peak-season crowd.
You'll have about 13.8 hours of daylight in August to explore — between the 8.8-hour midwinter low and the 15.2-hour summer high.
Park-wide, 2025 drew 1,139,361 recreation visits, up 4.1% from 1,094,245 in 2024.
Across the past decade overall visitation has risen about 11.4%, so a August visit is likely to feel busier than it did a few years ago.
How August compares with the months around it
| Month | Avg high / low | Crowds | Best-time score |
|---|---|---|---|
| July | 88°F / 58°F | 2.9× Very busy | 42 Poor |
| August | 88°F / 55°F | 2.5× Very busy | 50 Fair |
| September | 78°F / 45°F | 1.5× Busy | 64 Good |
All twelve months at Badlands, with the best time to visit.
Things to do at Badlands in August
The National Park Service tags 17 Badlands activities for summer. Here are 8 of them. Each links to the park's own page for it.
- Badlands Astronomy Festival · 30-60 minutes
- Visit the Fossil Preparation Lab
- Badlands Ranger Programs · 20-60 minutes
- Enjoy the Night Sky · 30-90 minutes
- Visit the White River Visitor Center · 15-60 minutes
- Backcountry Camping
- Drive Around the South Unit of the Badlands · 1-2 hours
- Hiking the Badlands · 1-5 hours
Frequently Asked Questions
August averages a daytime high near 88°F and an overnight low around 55°F at Badlands National Park, with about 2 inches of precipitation. These are 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals from the nearest station, about 20.6 miles from the park, so conditions inside the park can differ, especially at other elevations.
August is very busy at Badlands National Park (about 2.5× the average month). Our best-time score rates it "Fair" at 50/100. Our recommended month is May.
The busiest month is July and the quietest is December. August sits at about 2.5× the park's average, or 20% of annual visitation.
A typical August sees about 214,000 recreation visits at Badlands National Park, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979–2025.
Where to stay near Badlands in August
Booking a August trip to Badlands National Park? Compare hotels, cabins and vacation rentals near the park with live August availability and prices.
Top-rated places to stay near Badlands
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See the full ranking of the best national parks to visit in August.
Source: National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics (1979–2025), NOAA NCEI Climate Normals 1991–2020. Updated 2026-10-11.