13 Best Badlands Hiking Trails + Tips for Visiting Badlands National Park

PLANNING A BADLANDS HIKING ADVENTURE?

We can help! We have visited over 30 national parks and consider ourselves to be national park experts! We love the unique landscapes in the Badlands. We loved the views, trails, and wildlife. 

The park is full of colorful spires, canyons, and buttes that go on for as far as you can see. The Badlands hiking trails are a great way to get out and see the park.

Here is everything you need to know about Badlands National Park hiking.

Where is Badlands National Park?

Badlands National Park is located in southwestern South Dakota. The Badlands in SD has about 244,000 acres filled with wildlife, prairie grass as well as eroded pinnacles and spires made of shale, sand, iron oxides, and volcanic ash.

Badlands National Park is about 90 minutes east of Mount Rushmore National Memorial and 60 minutes east of Rapid City, South Dakota.  If you are coming from the east, the Badlands are about four hours west of Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Rapid City is the area’s largest airport and you shouldn’t have a problem connecting to any of the major US airports.

Are the Badlands worth seeing?

The Badlands and the sites to the west like Custer State Park and Mount Rushmore are definitely worth seeing because the Badlands in South Dakota have beautiful scenery that is very unique. The Badlands National Park hiking trails are very family-friendly and the park has lots of beautiful viewpoints.

History of Badlands National Park

The geology found in the Badlands in South Dakota is so unique and interesting. The buttes and spires were created through geological deposition and erosion. It is estimated that the Badlands formations have a lifespan of about one million years and erode about one inch a year.

The Badlands were formed over millions of years by stacking layers of rocks on top of each other. These layers were created by shallow seas, rivers, and wind. It is estimated that the deposition in the park ended about 28 million years ago.

Since then, erosion has slowly been carving the buttes and pinnacles that we see in the park today. The Cheyenne and White Rivers ran through the landscape and formed the canons and peaks in the park today.

Millions of years ago, the park was home to rhinos, saber-tooth cats, and alligators. It is possible that the Badlands were once underwater because of fossilized seashells found in the park. More recently, Native Americans utilized the area for hunting.

Badlands National Park was first named “mako sica,” by the Sioux Indians who lived in the area. This translates to “land bad,” a reference to how difficult the area is to live in.  

Information on Visiting The Badlands hiking Trails

If you need information upon your arrival, there are two visitor centers: Ben Reifel Visitor Center and White River Visitor Center. The White River Visitor Center is only open during the summer, but the Ben Reifel Visitor Center is open year-round.

Badlands National Park Hours: The Badlands in South Dakota is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Badlands National Park Admission

The park accepts the America the Beautiful National Parks Pass which is a great way to save money on your travel and get to the beautiful national parks in the United States.

If you do not have a yearly pass, the admission is $15 per week per vehicle.  

Is there hiking in Badlands?

There are about 11 official Badlands National Park hiking trails in the Badlands as well as two different wilderness areas you can hike on your own. Most of the Badland hiking trails are very family-friendly and relatively easy. There are beautiful and scenic viewpoints along the trail but nothing over-the-top spectacular.     

Best Badlands Hiking Trails

The Cedar Pass Area has the most popular and best hikes in the park. There is a well-marked network of trails here and quite a few of these hikes even share a parking lot, making it easy to hike a few of the Badlands trails in a morning or afternoon. The Castle Trail, Door Trail, Window Trail, and Notch Trail are all very close together.

Door Trail

• Length: 0.75 miles
• Elevation Gain: 36 feet
• Route Type: Out and Back
• Difficulty: Easy

The Door Trail was a great hike for our family. The trail meanders through the rock formations giving everyone plenty of opportunities to climb, explore and get up close with the rock formations. This trail is unique in that it lets you go behind the Badlands Wall and look back.

The first portion of the trail is a boardwalk that is stroller-friendly. After that, it is relatively flat but rocky. There is a slight descent down into the fossil beds. Along the trail, there are short yellow poles marking the trail. At the end of the trail, we found a beautiful overlook.  

This is one of the great Badlands trails if you are looking at getting up close to the rock formations like the buttes and spires on a relatively easy trail. There is not any shade on the trail so be prepared with sunscreen, water, and hats.

Window Trail

• Length: 0.2 miles
• Elevation Gain: 6 feet
• Route Type: Out and Back
• Difficulty: Easy

Although categorized as a hike, it is more of a leisurely stroll along a boardwalk. It is stroller-friendly and a trail that all members of your party will enjoy even with mobility issues.

At the end of the trail, there is a viewpoint with two benches. This viewpoint of “the Wall” and the view from this viewpoint is what put the Badlands in SD on the map.  

Notch Trail in the Badlands

• Length: 1.3 miles
• Elevation Gain: 131 feet
• Route Type: Out and Back
• Difficulty: Easy-Moderate

If you’ve seen people on a Badlands hike with a ladder, this is the hike! The Notch Trail leads to a small opening in the Badland Wall with sweeping views of the southern edge of the Badlands and lower prairie.

We hiked this trail first thing in the morning, and it was hot. Be prepared with lots of water and sunscreen. Our family really enjoyed this hike but groups with young kids should be careful. There are drop-offs as well as a 50-foot ladder.

Our kids did great on the ladder by going slow and careful. With all that being said, this was one of our favorite things to do in Badlands National Park. The trail is a fun adventure, and the views are amazing. This trail is the most “exciting” Badlands hiking trail in the park.

Tip: If you only have time for one hike in the Badlands, this should be the hike you pick.

How long does it take to hike Notch Trail Badlands?

If you hike at a moderate rate, hiking Notch Trail in the Badlands will take about an hour.

Castle Trail

• Length: 10 miles
• Elevation Gain: 340 feet
• Route Type: Out & Back
• Difficulty: Moderate

This trail will take you through some of the prairie grass fields that are common to see in the Badlands National Park. Throughout the grass, you will see some of the rock and stone formations. Be sure to keep an eye out for some of the bighorn sheep and other wildlife. This is the longest Badlands hiking trail.

If you don’t want to hike back on the same trail that you came in on, you can either have a second vehicle at the ending point (either Castle Trailhead or Fossil Exhibit Trailhead) or you can hike back on the Medicine Root Trail or Saddle Pass Trail.

There are details for combining it with the Medicine Root Trail Loop below. Remember, there is no shuttle in the park to take you back to your vehicle.

If you’re looking for a shorter route but still want to spend some time hiking on Castle Trail, you can also start at the Fossil Exhibit Area. From there, you can hike as far as you want before turning around to head back to the Fossil Exhibit Area.

There is little to no shade on this trail so be prepared if you are hiking in extreme cold or heat.

Castle Trail and Saddle Pass Trail Loop

• Length: 4.7 miles
• Elevation Gain: 456 feet
• Route Type: Loop
• Difficulty: Moderate

This loop will take you on three beautiful Badlands trails – Saddle Pass, Medicine Root, and Castle Trail. The trail starts at the Saddle Pass Trailhead. From the Saddle Pass Trail, you will hike the Medicine Root Trail and make your way back to the Saddle Pass Trail via the Castle Trail.

If you hike this trail, you will not hike the complete Castle Trail. It will still give you a great opportunity to see the beautiful views the Castle Trail has to offer.

Cliff Shelf Nature Trail

• Length: 0.5 miles
• Elevation Gain: 65 feet
• Route Type: Loop
• Difficulty: Easy

This trail is a mix of boardwalk and gravel. There are a few sections of stairs so bringing a stroller is not a good idea. The trail wanders through a few forest sections as well as under the cliff, giving you great views of “the Wall.”

There are a number of different viewing areas and interpretive signs discussing the Badlands. Our kids loved climbing the stairs and we loved the gorgeous views.

Saddle Pass

• Distance: 1.4 miles
• Difficulty: Strenuous
• Elevation Gain: 300 feet
• Route Type: Out and Back

This is a short Badlands hiking trail but is considered strenuous because of the steep and slippery trail. The trail will get you up close and personal with the colorful rock formations in the Badlands.

Once you get to the top you are well rewarded for your effort. From the top of Saddle Pass, you will have a beautiful view of the park. From the top, you can head back down to the trailhead or keep hiking on the Castle Trail or Medicine Root Trail.

Fossil Exhibit Trail

• Length: 0.4 miles
• Elevation Gain: 13 feet
• Route Type: Loop
• Difficulty: Easy

We headed out on this trail anxious to see some fossils. Sadly, there are no real fossils on this trail but there are fossil exhibits with replicas. The replicas date back over 75 million years ago to the animals that once lived in the Badlands in SD.

Overall, it was a great educational experience for everyone to learn about the animals that once called the Badlands National Park South Dakota home. It was one of my kids’ favorite Badlands hiking trails.

Here you can also join a ranger-led education talk that discusses the geology of the Badlands in SD.

Medicine Root Trail

• Distance: 4 miles
• Elevation Gain: 330 feet
• Route Type: Out and Back
• Difficulty: Moderate

The Medicine Root Trail does not have a trailhead you park at. You access the Medicine Root Trail either by the Castle Trail or Saddle Pass Trail.

I would say the only reason to really explore this trail is if you are hiking on the Castle Trail and wanted to hike a loop rather than returning on the Castle Trail.

It does provide a different viewpoint while you are hiking so unless you want a second chance to see the Castle Trail, returning on the Medicine Root Trail is a good option. There are also beautiful wildflowers along the trail in the Summer.

Open Hike Policy on the Badlands Hiking Trails

A really unique thing about the Badlands hiking is its open hiking policy. This means that you can hike off-trail and explore the park as much as you would like. This is especially useful in areas like Deer Haven and the Sage Creek Wilderness Area.

It is a lot easier to hike up the formations than to climb down so exercise good judgment when you set off exploring.

Sage Creek Wilderness

The Sage Creek Wilderness area has no maintained or official trails, but you can hike anywhere in this area. The two main parking areas to access Sage Creek Wilderness are the Sage Creek Basin Overlook and Sage Creek Campground.

You will need to register your information with the Backcountry Register before heading out. A lot of the trails are made from bison. This area of the park is known as a good place to see the bison as well as pronghorn.  

Deer Haven Wilderness Area

Although we haven’t ever found the Badlands to be overly busy like Yellowstone or Yosemite, if you want to have the trail to yourself, the Deer Haven Wilderness Area is a great place to hike. The best place to start hiking here is at the Conata Picnic Area. Remember you do have to fill out the Backcountry Register before hiking.

From the main hiking trail, there is a network of smaller trails taking you all throughout the Deer Haven Wilderness Area. The Deer Haven Area is about three miles from the main trail. Here you can enjoy views of the park and look for wildlife. If you are hiking on some of the smaller trails, it is a good idea to use some sort of GPS navigation system to make sure you can find your way back. There are not any signs really to direct you back to the Conata Picnic Area.

Sheep Mountain Table Hike

• Length: 14.6 miles
• Elevation Gain: 593 feet
• Route Type: Out & Back
• Difficulty: Moderate

The Sheep Mountain Table Hike follows a gravel road that can be used for hiking and off-road driving. It is a nice place to escape the crowds because this trail isn’t used very often. In the spring and summertime, it is a great place to see wildflowers.

If you want to hike but don’t want to hike the entire way, it is recommended to drive the first nine miles and then hike the remaining distance. It is recommended to have a high-clearance vehicle after the first nine miles.

Old Northeast Road

The Old Northeast Road is an alternate route that branches off of the main scenic road. The turnoff is near the parking area for the Notch trail. This road cuts a path across the northern part of the park.

The gravel road is suitable for hiking or driving. It is a road few visitors take so it is another good place to really get off the beaten path. On the road, keep an eye out for the balanced rock formation and the eroded butte. There is also a really unique opening in the wall known as the Old Northeast Road Window.

Badlands National Park Tour

If you’re going to be in Rapid City and want to explore the Badlands in South Dakota, consider a highly recommended Badlands National Park Tour leaving from Rapid City. The tour includes transportation to and from the park as well as a guided tour of the park with a local guide.

Book Your Badlands National Park Tour Here

Map of Best Badlands HIking Trails and Overlooks

How to Use This Map: Click on the icons on the map to get more information about each point of interest.

If you click the star next to the title of the map, this will be added to your Google Maps account. To view it on your phone or computer, open Google Maps. Then click on the menu button, go to “Your Places” and click on Maps. You will see this map added to your list.

Badlands National Park Camping

There are two campgrounds inside Badlands in South Dakota: Cedar Pass Campground and Sage Creek Campground.

Cedar Pass Campground is located in the heart of the park near the Ben Reifel Visitor Center. There are about 96 sites. It is recommended to make a reservation ahead of time. There are picnic tables with a shade covering at each site as well as electric hookups.

The campground is usually open from April through the end of October. Tent sites are $23 per night and RV sites are $38 per night.

Sage Creek Campground is a free campground with about 22 spots. It is a first-come, first-serve campground. You may have some difficulties getting in after a winter storm or spring rain and the campground may close temporarily. The length limit for vehicles is 18 feet.

Pit toilets and covered picnic tables are found throughout the campground. There is no water in the campground so make sure to bring your own. Campfire and generators are not allowed.

Badlands in South Dakota Backpacking

Taking a Badlands backpacking trip is a great way to experience the beauty of the Badlands. You do not need a permit to stay overnight in the Badlands backcountry however you do need to register. There are a variety of places to register at places throughout the park, like the Medicine/Castle Loop Trail, Conata Picnic Area, and Sage Creek Basin Overlook.

During your backpacking trip, campfires are not allowed, and you have to camp at least 0.5 miles from a road or trail. Be sure to bring all the water you will need because there isn’t really any water in the backcountry.

The two most popular places to go backpacking are Deer Haven and Sage Creek Wilderness Area.

What to Pack for the Badlands Trails

The weather conditions can change from day-to-day as well as hour-to-hour. One day can be very sunny and warm with rain and winds the next day. You can also expect cooler temperatures in the early morning with scorching heat in the summer afternoons. Because of this, it is a good idea to dress in layers and make sure you bring adequate water and sun protection.

Day Pack: Having a mesh back will help you stay cooler during your hiking and still make sure you can have the hiking essentials with you throughout your hike. The Osprey Daylit Plus also comes with a 20L hydration pack making it easy to stay hydrated as you are hiking.

Sunscreen: We love our Neutrogena sunscreen. It works so well on my fair skin and doesn’t leave a heavy feeling that some of the other sunscreens leave. Plus, it is waterproof!  

Hat: At a minimum, make sure you bring at least a baseball-style cap. If you’re going to be out in the sun a lot, we recommend bringing a wide-brimmed hat to protect not only your face but your neck as well.

Layers: It is a good idea to pack multiple layers while you are hiking. The mornings and evenings can be cooler depending on the time of year, but the afternoons are still very hot. Along with layers, it is a good idea to bring a waterproof jacket if you are visiting during the rainier seasons.

Water: Hiking in the Badlands can be very warm, even if you’re visiting in the fall or spring. Make sure to bring plenty of water. The wilderness areas in the park do not have filterable water.

Tips for Badlands Hiking

Check Your Map: Some of the trails are not well marked. It is a good idea from time to time to check for the signs marking the trail or your GPS to make sure you’re headed in the right direction.

Check the Weather: You do not want to be stuck out in the elements during extreme heat or cold. The trails can also be very slippery after heavy rainfall. If you aren’t sure of the hiking conditions, you can stop by the visitor center to speak with a ranger.

Be Safe Around Wildlife: There are rattlesnakes in the area so keep an eye out for them. Also do not approach or feed the wildlife in the park.  

Things to Do Besides the Badlands Hiking Trails

Along with hiking, there are a few other fun places to check out. The drive along Badlands Loop Road (Route 240) is a great drive that can easily be done in an hour or two plus your stopping time at trails and lookouts.

Big Badlands Overlook

This was our first stop in the Badlands National Park in South Dakota and it showed us what a treat we were in for. It is a scenic viewpoint just inside the east park entrance. We pulled the motorhome in at dusk and the colors were spectacular.

One thing to know about the park is sunlight plays a large part in how well you can see the colors. At dusk, the colors were more vibrant than during the midday sun. Make an effort to visit the park at sunset during your stay at the Badlands National Park South Dakota to see the most vibrant colors.

Yellow Mounds Overlook

The Yellow Mounds Overlook offers some unique geology in the Badlands National Park USA. The formations have a mustard-like color. As the water levels dropped in the park a long time ago, a rock layer crumbled into the soil, turning it yellow. As a result, the formations have a unique coloring making it a beautiful place to take pictures and explore.

Viewpoints in Badlands in South Dakota

Around every corner, there is another wonderful view to take in. Driving through the scenic viewpoints was one of our favorite things to do in Badlands National Park. There are enough viewpoints that you could spend the entire day stopping at each one. Here are a few of our favorites –

• White River Valley Overlook
• Panorama Point
• Pinnacles Overlook
• Hay Butte Overlook
• Badlands Wilderness Overlook

If your schedule allows, visit some of these viewpoints at sunset. The colors are vibrant and stand out much more without the harsh light during the day.

Roberts Prairie Dog Town and Sage Creek Rim Road

There is a variety of wildlife found in the Badlands National Park South Dakota and one of the best places to find it is on Sage Creek Rim Road. In this section of the park, you can find the prairie dogs at Prairie Dog Town as well as having the best odds of spotting the bison and bighorn sheep.

My kids loved looking down in the holes to find the prairie dogs and seeing how close we could get to the hole before they scampered away. This was one of the Badlands National Park Attractions my kids really enjoyed.

Junior Ranger Program

If you are traveling with kids, be sure to stop in at the Ben Reifel Visitor Center to participate in the Junior Ranger Program. The center also has a few displays discussing the wildlife and geology of the area.

Badlands Hiking Weather

The Badlands in South Dakota weather is the definition of extreme in both the summer and the winter. During the winter, you can expect heavy snow in the Badlands with temperatures barely breaking freezing. The average high from December through February is about 35 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperatures can get down to -40 degrees Fahrenheit.

In the summer, the average high is about 90 degrees but can get much hotter. The hottest days in July and August can reach up to 110F. There is little shade in the park so it can get very hot and uncomfortable.

The best time to visit for the best weather is in the Spring and Fall. If you do visit during the spring, keep in mind May and June are the rainiest months. The driest months are December and January.

If you have more time in the area, we recommend exploring Mount Rushmore, the Black Hills, and Custer State Park.

All in all, we definitely recommend a stop in Badlands National Park. It is every bit beautiful as the Grand Canyon and a place we loved exploring as a family!

Pin for Later –

Want more National Park inspiration? Follow our Visit National Parks Board on Pinterest!