Wall South Dakota, Exit 110 off I-90

Interstate 90, Exit 110, Wall South Dakota

For miles and miles leading up to exit 110 you will see lot of goofy, click-bate-like billboards attempting to convince you to make the stop.  If you’ve ever driven down I-95 on the east coast of the United States, it may seem like you were headed toward a cowboy version of ‘South of the Border.’

And you know what?  You kinda are.  Having visited both South of the Border and Wall Drug, the similarities are endless.  Both offer public restrooms, accommodations, food, and a myriad of chachkie gifts for all ages.

The small town of Wall was appropriately named long ago because it is the located near the northern ‘wall’ of the South Dakota Badlands.  It became an established town in 1907 because of the railroad system.  But began to gain fame and notoriety in December of 1931 when Ted and Dorothy Hustead purchased the Drug Store in the poor “Godforsaken” town of Wall.

After months of having no customers, Ted and Dorothy decided to offer passerby’s FREE ICE WATER.  A sign was hung out on the highway and the rest is really history!  By offering patrons free water after driving through the prairie heat, they would stop for their FREE water and make purchases of Ice Cream and other items.

Now, I know, maybe you don’t want to stop for the free water these days.  Most of us keep a bottle or 2 in the car when we are headed out for a road trip.  But what most of the people in the 1930’s may not have realized when they stopped in to the town of Wall, is that just a mere 8 miles up the road you can find one of the most stunning displays of the Badlands. 

In 1959 the Badlands National Park was established.  But the geological formations of what is known as the badlands was there long before that.  It was certainly there 30 years earlier when Ted and Dorothy opened their drug store. 

Now a days you can pay your $30 fee (free with your U.S. National Park Pass) and drive the 40-mile Loop through the eastern portion of the National Park.  There are several places to stop and walk out to the overlooks along the route.  You can head over to the Prairie Dog Town and watch these adorable little pipsqueaks running around, popping their heads out of their mounds, and jabbering away at each other.  If you’re lucky, you may even get to see the bison that roam free throughout the area too.

Doug and I had an opportunity to do some dispersed camping just before the entrance to the national park.  You can check out our YouTube video here for a more detailed description of how I found this location, the remarkable views when we got there, our drive through the park, and even my uncontrollable fear and anxiety. 

Even if you make the decision to not enter the National Park and do the loop.  Or don’t even stop at Wall Drug where you’ll likely get roped into spending more money.  We HIGHLY suggest pulling into the Badlands Boondocking location at “The Wall” to check out the magnificent views.

This is a Dispersed Camping Location provided by the National Forest Service.  Please be conscience of posted signage.  There are a few areas posted that you can’t drive on.  Do NOT drive on the grasslands.  Be sure to stick to the roadway.  Just because you see tire tracks, doesn’t mean it is ok to drive there.  The Grasslands are very fragile and take years to return.  The tire tracks you see could be several years old.  All vehicle types can make the drive along both National Park Road 7170 and 7158.  We managed in our 23-foot pick up with 42-foot fifth wheel in tow.

Should you decide to spend the night to watch the sunset and sunrise, you don’t need a camper to do so!  In this area you will find people sleeping in their cars, tents, campers, and even vans.  The National Park Service does have a 14-day limit to how long you can stay there.  But it should be noted that there are NO SERVICES here.  There is no restroom or running water.  Those amenities are located in town. 

Take Exit 110 off I-90 in Wall South Dakota.  Head SOUTH on SD 240 toward the Badlands National Park.  Watch for the radio towers on the left side of the road.  Turn left onto National Park Road Number 7170.  The sign is VERY SMALL.  But it is the only left turn near the radio towers.  There is a cattle grate that you will need to drive over.  You will likely already see campers up there.  Watch out for potholes as it’s a dirt road.  Road 7170 literally dead ends at the cliff.  National Park Road Number 7158 runs along the edge of the cliff though and you can drive your vehicle the length of it which will loop back around to SD 240.  Find yourself a place to park, get out, and take a walk.  You will not be disappointed! If you would like to see our trip, check out our YouTube video.