Updated August 28, 2025 07:11PM
After discovering an abandoned campsite full of trash last weekend, Badlands National Park officials wrote a simple message to visitors: “Do not do this !!!”
“Whether it was left behind due to unpreparedness or carelessness, the result is the same- ecological harm,” officials at the park wrote. “Leaving debris behind like this is negligent and is also illegal.”
A trashed campsite like the one left within the wilderness area is not only irresponsible from an ecological standpoint, but it could also be an indicator to locals that someone unintentionally left the campsite, and could be in danger.
Besides being an eyesore and an attractant for animals, the campsite provoked an emergency response, with the park sending first responders to determine whether or not someone was at risk. After examining the scene, rangers determined that campers likely abandoned the scene when a thunderstorm blew through the area the night prior. Rather than breaking down camp, the visitors likely left the scene in a rush, and failed to collect their equipment before park rangers were alerted to the situation.
“While we absolutely understand how scary thunderstorms can be out here and absolutely encourage visitors to take shelter if need be, we wish we had been notified,” the park wrote in a Facebook message. “A phone call could have eliminated the need for an emergency response dispatch, preventing wasted time and resources from being used.”
Like many national parks, Badlands National Park is operating with reduced resources due to funding and personnel cuts. When campsites are abandoned like this one was, it puts further strain on the park. It also sticks rangers with the messy duty of removing maggot-filled garbage and other litter from precious outdoor destinations.
Abandoned campsites are relatively common across much of the west. And this isn’t the first time the Badlands has seen a quick flight: “This is, unfortunately, a very common occurrence in the park due to our extreme weather,” wrote officials.
Disappearances also happen in National Parks more frequently than one might imagine, with some estimates showing that more than 1,000 people went missing in National Parks between 2018 and 2023. In many instances, those who are reported missing are eventually located; in other circumstances, those disappearances remain unsolved.
Communicating with park officials in emergency situations can help to ensure that they use resources in an appropriate way, as well as flagging potential disappearances.
