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NPS Photo | Visitors viewing the exhibits at the Ben Reifel Visitor Center. |
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Ben Reifel Visitor Center
Hours of Operation
8 a.m. - 5 p.m. (April 19 - May 30)
7 a.m. - 7 p.m. (May 31 - August 15)
8 a.m. - 5 p.m. (August 16 - October 31)
8 a.m. - 4 p.m. (November 1 - Spring 2010)
CLOSED on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day
Phone
(605) 433-5361
Location
Cedar Pass "Badlands Loop Road" Hwy 240.
Located at park headquarters, the Ben Reifel Visitor Center reopened in 2006 with new exhibits, a 95-seat, air conditioned theater, a new film, Land of Stone and Light, and improved classroom and restroom facilities.
The Badlands Natural History Association operates a bookstore in the visitor center. Postcards, books, videos, posters, and other educational materials about the park and its resources are available for purchase.
Special Programs
Ranger programs, such as guided hikes, talks, activities, and evening programs, are offered during the summer season.
Exhibits
Exhibits, many interactive, focus on the cultural history, prairie ecology, and paleontology of the White River Badlands. Children can enjoy assembling a virtual skeleton on a touch screen computer and touching fossilized animal casts.
Nearby Facilities
Cedar Pass Lodge, operated by Forever Resorts, an authorized concessioner of the National Park Service, is only open during the summer season. The Lodge offers rental cabins, a gift shop, and full-service restaurant. Feel free to call (605) 433-5460 for reservations.
2009 Gift Shop Hours of Operation
8 a.m. - 4 p.m. (April 18 - May 8)
7 a.m. - 7 p.m. (May 9 - May 22)
7 a.m. - 9 p.m. (May 23 - August 31)
8 a.m. - 7 p.m. (September 1 - October 11)
Closed (October 12 - Spring 2010)
The dining room closes 30-minutes before the gift shop.
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