Badlands: Notch Trail Closed for Ladder Repairs
The Notch Trail and the area right around it are closed while crews repair the trail's ladder, which has become unsafe for hikers.
If you're planning a hike in Badlands, here's one thing to note before you lock in your itinerary. The Notch Trail is currently closed. The closure doesn't stop at the trail itself. It also covers the whole area within 100 feet of the marked route. Bottom line, you can't hike this trail or even get near it right now.
The reason is simple, and it comes down to your safety. The Notch Trail includes a wooden ladder, a signature stretch of this route as it climbs along the formations. That ladder section is exactly the problem. It's worn down to the point where it's become a hazard for hikers. So park crews are stepping in to fix it, and the closure stays in place until the work is done.
We're flagging this because the Notch Trail is often one of the first hikes people think of when they're getting to know the park. Short but dramatic, it draws a crowd. Skipping it during the repairs will save you the letdown once you're there, and more to the point, a wasted trip out to the trailhead.
The good news is that Badlands is a lot more than this one trail. Other trails are still open, and they get you close to the same scenery of carved ridgelines and colorful canyons. We'd suggest checking access conditions the day of, straight from the park, since this kind of repair closure can change from one week to the next.
To plan the rest of your trip and scout out hiking alternatives, everything is pulled together in the Badlands park guide. You'll find what you need to build a solid itinerary, even without the Notch Trail. And as soon as the ladder is fixed and the trail reopens, it'll slot right back onto your list.