National parks near Redfield, South Dakota
Badlands National Park is the closest national park to Redfield, South Dakota — 212 mi (341 km) in a straight line, which works out to roughly 5 hr 28 min behind the wheel.
Badlands is better with a night booked nearby.
Nothing near Redfield gates the entrance itself, but 3 of the parks in range put a road, hike, or backcountry trip behind a permit or timed ticket.
Redfield has a population of about 2,379.
National parks near Redfield
| Park | Straight-line distance | Estimated drive | Realistic trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Badlands National Park | 212 mi (341 km) | 5 hr 28 min | Best as a weekend |
| Wind Cave National Park | 262 mi (421 km) | 6 hr 39 min | Worth a longer road trip |
| Theodore Roosevelt National Park | 278 mi (447 km) | 7 hr 1 min | Worth a longer road trip |
| Voyageurs National Park | 366 mi (589 km) | 9 hr 7 min | Worth a longer road trip |
| Riding Mountain National Park | 420 mi (676 km) | 10 hr 23 min | Worth a longer road trip |
| Rocky Mountain National Park | 480 mi (773 km) | 11 hr 49 min | Worth a longer road trip |
| Isle Royale National Park | 523 mi (842 km) | 12 hr 50 min | Worth a longer road trip |
| Grasslands National Park | 526 mi (846 km) | 12 hr 54 min | Worth a longer road trip |
| Yellowstone National Park | 588 mi (946 km) | 14 hr 22 min | Worth a longer road trip |
| Grand Teton National Park | 605 mi (974 km) | 14 hr 46 min | Worth a longer road trip |
What to book before you leave Redfield
| Park | What needs booking | Covers | How |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rocky Mountain | Rocky Mountain National Park Timed Entry | Park entry | Timed reservation |
| Voyageurs | Voyageurs National Park Houseboat Permits | One hike or backcountry trip | Permit or lottery |
| Yellowstone | Yellowstone National Park Backcountry Permits | One hike or backcountry trip | Permit or lottery |
| Grand Teton | Grand Teton National Park Backcountry Permits | One hike or backcountry trip | Permit or lottery |
Camping near Redfield
Within reach of Redfield, 60 campgrounds across 8 parks appear on Recreation.gov: 33 at Isle Royale, 9 at Grand Teton, 5 at Theodore Roosevelt, and 5 at Rocky Mountain, plus 4 more parks with fewer sites.
Beaver Island at Isle Royale, Caribou Island at Isle Royale, Chippewa Harbor at Isle Royale, and Daisy Farm at Isle Royale do not take reservations, so they never show up as bookable inventory — in busy season that means arriving before mid-morning rather than planning around a confirmation.
Recreation.gov releases most national park campsites six months before the arrival date, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time. Windows are set per campground, so confirm yours on the Seasons and Fees tab on that campground page.
Once a date is gone, cancellations are the real supply, and they get taken within minutes of appearing.
When to make this trip
Badlands National Park is generally best May through October, with April and early November as the quieter shoulder either side.
Winter brings cold, shorter days, and reduced services, though lower-elevation trails often stay walkable.
Peak summer weekends and autumn colour weekends fill parking lots early — arrive before mid-morning.
Seeing more than one
Several parks near Redfield are close enough to each other to combine on one trip, so the drive from home only has to happen once.
| Pair | Apart | Estimated drive |
|---|---|---|
| Badlands → Wind Cave | 50.5 mi (81.3 km) | 1 hr 39 min |
| Badlands → Theodore Roosevelt | 227 mi (366 km) | 5 hr 50 min |
Planning a trip from Redfield
Distances here are straight-line and the drive estimate adds a road factor on top, but mountain passes and seasonal closures can change it a lot — a route that looks like three hours in June can be shut entirely in February. Confirm road status with the park before you commit to a date.
Common questions
What is the closest national park to Redfield?
Badlands National Park. It is about 212 mi (341 km) from Redfield, roughly 5 hr 28 min of driving.
Can I do a national park day trip from Redfield?
Not comfortably. The nearest parks are far enough that you will want at least one night away.
How many national parks are near Redfield?
10 parks are within reach of Redfield, 0 of them close enough for a day trip.
Do you need a reservation for the national parks near Redfield?
None of them gate the entrance itself. 3 put a specific road, hike, or backcountry trip behind a permit or timed ticket — Voyageurs National Park Houseboat Permits, Yellowstone National Park Backcountry Permits, and Grand Teton National Park Backcountry Permits. Farther than a day trip, Rocky Mountain National Park still needs a timed-entry permit to drive in. These requirements are usually seasonal, so check the date you plan to arrive.
Where can you camp near Redfield?
Recreation.gov lists 60 campgrounds at the national parks within reach of Redfield. They are spread across 8 of those parks. 33 of them are first-come, first-served, so they never appear as bookable inventory.
When is the best time to visit the parks near Redfield?
For Badlands National Park, the closest one, generally May through October. Either side of that, April and early November stays quieter.