Badlands Hiking: The Best Trails for Every Skill Level

By Victoria Boissonade · Data: National Park Service · ← Complete guide Badlands

If you only do one hike in the Badlands, make it Notch Trail. The 1.5-mile round-trip hike includes a wooden ladder, a narrow canyon, and sweeping views of the ocher formations and endless South Dakota prairie. If you're traveling with young children or anyone who isn't comfortable with exposed sections, choose Door Trail (0.5 miles, almost no elevation gain) or Cliff Shelf Nature Trail (0.5-mile loop, shaded by juniper trees).

The park has about a dozen marked trails, nearly all clustered in the North Unit along Badlands Loop Road, plus a vast off-trail hiking area in Sage Creek Wilderness. The distances are short. The terrain, however, including slippery clay, loose rock, and direct sun, along with summer heat, requires serious preparation.

Preparing for Your Badlands Hike

Permits and Entrance Fees

You don't need a permit for day hikes, whether you're on marked trails or in Sage Creek Wilderness. The only required charge is the park entrance fee: $30 per vehicle, $25 per motorcycle, or $15 per person entering on foot or by bicycle. The park's annual pass costs $55.

The Three Real Hazards

Heat and dehydration. The Badlands can reach more than 116°F in summer. Start before 9 a.m., carry at least 2 liters of water per person, and turn around if you start feeling tired. There are no water sources on the trails.

Unstable terrain. Badlands clay swells after rain and becomes as slippery as wet tile. After a storm, wait until the clay has dried completely before heading back onto the trails.

Thunderstorms and tornadoes. In summer, a severe storm can develop in less than an hour. Check the forecast on Weather.gov or at Ben Reifel Visitor Center before you set out, and don't start an exposed trail if cumulonimbus clouds are building on the horizon. The Badlands weather guide breaks down the risks month by month.

Respecting Wildlife

Bison roam freely on the trails and along the roadsides. Keep at least 25 yards away, no exceptions. Rattlesnakes are around in summer, especially on rocky sections, so watch where you put your hands and feet. Prairie dogs, on the other hand, are harmless and very photogenic.

Dogs

Dogs are allowed on Fossil Exhibit Trail, in campgrounds, and on paved roads. They're prohibited on all other marked trails and throughout Sage Creek Wilderness. Keep them leashed at all times.

The Best Hikes, Area by Area

North Unit: Trails Along Badlands Loop Road

This is where you'll find nearly all of the park's visitors. Trailheads sit right along the road, with no long approach and no complicated route-finding.

Notch Trail

(1.5 miles · round-trip · 300 feet of elevation gain · moderate · duration: 1 hour)

This is our signature trail. You start by crossing an ocher clay canyon, then climb a wooden ladder bolted to the cliff, about 16 feet high. It's manageable for anyone comfortable with heights. At the top, you'll reach a plateau with open views of the White River and prairie. When we visited early in the morning, the low-angle light on the brown and ocher formations was perfect for photos. Start from Door/Window Parking on the east side of the park.

Terrain warning: the clay around the ladder becomes dangerous after rain. Put this hike off until the next day if the ground is still wet.

Door Trail

(0.5 miles · round-trip · almost no elevation gain · easy · duration: 20 minutes)

Door Trail passes through a natural “door” in the badlands wall and opens onto an amphitheater of pinnacles and buttes. The markers end inside, so you can wander freely among the formations. It's one of the few hikes where you can safely leave the main trail, as long as you keep the “door” in sight so you can find your way back. Start at Door/Window Parking, the same lot used for Notch Trail.

Window Trail

(0.25 miles · round-trip · easy · duration: 10 minutes)

This quick out-and-back leads to a natural window in the rock, with a steep view down into an erosion basin. It's ideal for stretching your legs between stops along Loop Road. You can pair it with Door Trail from the same parking area.

Cliff Shelf Nature Trail

(0.5 miles · loop · easy to moderate · duration: 30 minutes)

The trail follows a wet area perched on a geological shelf, a rare feature in this arid landscape. Centuries-old junipers provide precious shade in the Badlands. Early in the morning, you can often spot white-tailed deer and coyotes. This is the park's coolest hike. Start from Cedar Pass Parking, just steps from Ben Reifel Visitor Center.

Fossil Exhibit Trail

(0.25 miles · loop · easy · duration: 15 minutes · partially wheelchair accessible)

This paved loop features fossil replicas, including a primitive rhinoceros, an early horse ancestor, and a giant turtle, displayed beneath glass shelters. It's not really a hiking trail, but it offers an effective introduction to the park's geology. Take the kids, or use it to warm up before a longer trail. Start from the dedicated parking area on Badlands Loop Road.

Saddle Pass Trail

(0.25 miles · one-way · difficult · duration: 20 minutes)

Short but steep. This trail climbs sharply to the badlands plateau. It mainly serves as a connector between Badlands Loop Road and Castle Trail or Medicine Root Trail. On its own, it offers little, but combined with Castle Trail, it lets you build a loop from the bottom. Start at Saddle Pass Parking.

Castle Trail and Medicine Root Area

Castle Trail

(about 10 miles · round-trip, or about 8 miles as a loop with Medicine Root Trail · moderate · duration: 4 to 5 hours)

This is the park's longest trail and the only one that offers a full day of hiking. You'll cross mixed-grass prairies, follow colorful clay formations, and have a good chance of seeing bison on the plains, far from the crowds in the North Unit. The terrain is fairly flat, but the distance, heat, and complete lack of shade make this a hike you shouldn't underestimate. Start early and carry at least 3 liters of water per person.

Combining Castle Trail with Medicine Root Trail creates an approximately 8-mile loop with changing scenery: open prairie on the south side, then buttes and erosion gullies on the north side. Start from Castle Trail Parking, east of the trail near Fossil Exhibit Trail, or from Saddle Pass.

Sage Creek Wilderness (western area)

There are no marked trails here. You'll hike with a compass and map, or with a GPS, across a wild prairie that sees very few tourists. This is the best place in the park to watch bison herds without the concentration of visitors found in the North Unit. Access is via Sage Creek Rim Road, a gravel road suitable for passenger cars in dry weather.

Save this area for experienced navigators. The Badlands guide explains how this area works in detail.

Easy, Family-Friendly Hikes

Despite what you might expect, the Badlands are a very accessible park for families with young children. Short trails are no more than 0.6 miles long, and easy routes have almost no elevation gain. Several parking areas make it easy to string together multiple hikes without moving the car.

Our three family recommendations:

1. Window Trail (0.25 miles, 10 minutes): perfect for toddlers, with no hazardous sections.
2. Fossil Exhibit Trail (0.25 miles, 15 minutes): the fossil replicas immediately capture kids' attention.
3. Door Trail (0.5 miles, 20 minutes): short enough for young hikers and spectacular enough to hold their interest.

Door Trail + Window Trail + Notch Trail from the same parking area makes a full morning for an active family, as long as the kids are comfortable with the ladder on Notch Trail. If you're unsure, Door + Window + Cliff Shelf is a completely nontechnical alternative.

Our guide to visiting the Badlands with kids has more advice for planning your visit with children.

More Challenging Hikes and Big Views

If you want to get beyond the roadside trails and earn your views, two options stand out.

Notch Trail remains the most accessible challenging hike. The wooden ladder is the only truly technical section, exposure is limited, and the reward, views of the White River and prairie, matches the effort. It's also the park's most photographed trail for one simple reason: morning light on the formations is spectacular.

Castle Trail, either on its own or combined with Medicine Root Trail, is the all-day route. The challenge comes less from elevation gain than from the duration, 4 to 5 hours, and the heat. This is also the trail where you're most likely to encounter bison up close, far from the busy areas of the North Unit.

For off-trail hikers, Sage Creek Wilderness offers a completely different experience: immersion in South Dakota prairie, without crowds or trail markers. You'll need solid navigation skills and a GPS.

Our Badlands wildlife guide details the species you can see in each area and season.

Access, Trailheads, and Parking

The park is about 75 miles east of Rapid City, South Dakota. The main entrance is reached via Interstate 90, Exit 131 (Northeast Entrance). Nearly all visitors arriving from the east or west use this route.

The main trailheads line Badlands Loop Road (SD-240):

All of these parking areas are covered by the entrance fee. During peak season, from June through August, Door/Window Parking fills up by 9:30 a.m. Arrive before 9 a.m. or come back in the late afternoon, around 5 p.m.

There is no shuttle in this park, so you'll need a car to get between trailheads. For route details from Rapid City and current road conditions, see the Badlands access guide.

When to Hike in the Badlands

In short, spring (April–May) and fall (September–October) offer the best conditions. Temperatures stay below 86°F, thunderstorms are less common than in midsummer, and late-day light looks beautiful on the formations.

Summer, from June through August, is still doable but demanding. Limit your outings to the first hours of the day, before 10 a.m., or the very end of the afternoon, after 5 p.m. Between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., exposed trails are uncomfortable and the heat can become dangerous.

The park stays open in winter except for occasional weather-related closures. Clay trails may be snowy or icy, and some secondary roads close in bad weather.

For a month-by-month calendar with average temperatures and precipitation, see the Badlands seasons guide.

Which Hike Is Right for You?

If you've only got half a day, combine Door Trail + Window Trail + Notch Trail from the same parking area. In two hours, you'll cover most of the Badlands hiking experience. To plan the rest of your visit, including what to do beyond hiking, the scenic drive, and wildlife watching, our complete guide is the place to start.

Frequently Asked Questions