Philip, South Dakota is a friendly small-town gateway to the Badlands — easy access to dramatic hikes, fossil sites and wide-open skies about 27 miles away, plus a low cost of living and a tight-knit community that makes multi-week stays comfortable and restorative.
Quirky Wall (and Wall Drug) is about 31 miles away for tourist fun and supplies, while Pierre — with bigger grocery options, restaurants and a regional airport — sits roughly 70 miles out, so you’re never isolated but can enjoy a slow-paced, nature-first lifestyle between shifts.