Badlands National Park
Badlands needs no permit for small-group still photography under the EXPLORE Act; permitted shoots pay a $100 application fee plus daily location fees.
Guidance, not legal advice
Drone Authority
Check the flight side
Rules answer the ground-photo side. Drone Authority handles the NPS flight ban, airspace, and legal flying nearby.
Permit
Conditional
Issuer: Badlands National Park special use permits office (badl_permits@nps.gov)
Cost: $100 nonrefundable application and administrative charge when a permit is needed; still photography location fees start at $50/day for 1-10 people
Processing: Park asks for applications 45 days before the activity
Under the EXPLORE Act, groups of eight or fewer using hand-carried gear in public areas, without exclusive use and without extra cost to the park, need no permit. Shoots that fail any of those conditions need a special use permit: short form for small shoots, long form for large ones, submitted to badl_permits@nps.gov.
Drone / airspace
Effectively banned: launching, landing, or operating a drone within park boundaries is prohibited
NPS Policy Memorandum 14-05 directs each superintendent to close the park to drone use under 36 CFR 1.5. For airspace, Part 107, and legal flying nearby, see Drone Authority.
Street / public space
Yes for personal and editorial photography throughout the park
Standard visitor photography is welcome; the permit question is about shoots that need exclusive use or park support.
Practical notes
- The Badlands Loop Road (SD 240) strings together the classic overlooks; most formations shoot best at low sun when the banding lights up.
- Wildlife (bison, bighorn sheep) roams near roads; long lens from distance, never approach.
- The park is a strong night-sky location; no permit is needed for a small astro setup on public overlooks.
Sources
Keep shooting
Knowing the rules is half the job. The craft side: