Hiking Trails
Badlands National Park provides a number of trails of all lengths and difficulties, and are suited for most families. Permits are not required to hike or backpack, but all hikers are encouraged to stop by a visitor center to find out trail conditions and current weather patterns. Also, be aware that it is illegal to remove any fossils from the park.
Castle Trail
The longest trail in the park at 10 miles round trip (16km), the Castle Trail stretches from the Fossil Exhibit Trail and the
Door/Window parking area. Primarily level, this path parallels some
precipitous badlands formations. The Medicine Root Trail makes a
loop within the Castle Trail from any connecting trailhead. Not
heavily used, the Castle Trail offers a chance for solitude and wildlife viewing.
Cliff Shelf Nature Trail
1/2 mile (0.8km) loop trail that winds through a wooded prairie oasis surrounded by the parched Badlands. Walkers will wander in and out of small tree shaded areas and take advantage of boardwalks and a flight
of stairs in place to protected fragile resources. Located 1/2 mile
north of the Visitor Center, the trail does climb approximately 200
feet in elevation. Views of the White River Valley are incomparable.
Door Trail
3/4 mile (1.2km) round trip trail focusing on the park's geologic
history. Beginning at the northern end of the large Door and Window
parking area two miles northeast of the Ben Reifel Visitor Center, the Door Trail penetrates into wildly eroded badlands through a break
called "The Door" in the Badlands Wall. The first 150 yards of the
trail includes an accessible boardwalk; however, the path will soon become more rugged as visitors can then follow the yellow markers an additional 300 meters across rough badlands terrain.
Fossil Exhibit Trail
1/4 mile (0.4) loop trail that is fully accessible to those with mobility impairments. Examples of some of now extinct creatures that
once called the Badlands home are protect under clear domes. Located
five miles northwest of the Ben Reifel Visitor Center, the trail is a
very easy walk. During summer months, park naturalists give
presentations about the rich fossil history of the park.
Notch Trail
1 1/2 mile (2.4km) round trip trail that is not recommended for those
with a fear of heights. Meandering through a canyon, this trail
presents the hiker with the opportunity to climb a steep ladder, then
travel along a ledge to "The Notch" above the Cliff Shelf area. One
of the best views of the White River Valley and the Pine Ridge
Reservation rewards those who do complete the trail. For the
adventurous, the Notch Trail can be treacherous during and just after heavy rains.
* Information provided by the Park Service
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