National Park · South Dakota

Trails in Badlands National Park

8 named trails · 9 miles · 0 with the Park Service's own write-up. The lines, trailheads and points are the Park Service's; the write-ups are the Service's own words; the climbing is read from USGS elevation along each line.

Open on the parks map Every park with trails Park on nps.gov

8 trails, A to Z.

Castle Trail

5.1 mi one way · about 100 ft of climbing · 150 ft of descent · 2,604 ft–2,676 ft

On the parks map · Drive to the trail's end

Cliff Shelf Nature Trail

0.4 mi one way · about 70 ft of climbing · 2,609 ft–2,676 ft

On the parks map · Drive to the trail's end

Door Trail

0.4 mi one way · 40 ft of descent · 2,588 ft–2,633 ft · wood surface

On the parks map · Drive to the trail's end

Fossil Exhibit Trail

0.2 mi one way · about 10 ft of climbing · 2,664 ft–2,676 ft · wood surface

On the parks map · Drive to the trail's end

Medicine Root Trail

2.1 mi one way · about 60 ft of climbing · 2,588 ft–2,648 ft

On the parks map · Drive to the trail's end

Notch Trail

0.3 mi one way · about 50 ft of climbing · 2,651 ft–2,699 ft · earth surface

On the parks map · Drive to the trail's end

Saddle Pass Trail

0.3 mi one way · about 200 ft of climbing · 2,414 ft–2,626 ft

On the parks map · Drive to the trail's end

Window Trail

0.2 mi one way · 2,637 ft–2,653 ft

On the parks map · Drive to the trail's end

More hikes the Park Service describes

Write-ups that name no single mapped trail, in the Service's words.

Hiking Badlands Back Roads With Your Dog · dogs allowed · Winter, Spring, Fall
Back country roads are a great place to escape the everyday with your pet.
Hiking the Badlands · 1-5 Hours · no dogs
Interested in hiking at Badlands National Park? Read about rules, official trails, and the park's open hike policy here.
Horseback Riding in the Badlands · dogs allowed
Enjoy views of the Badlands from the saddle! Although no commercial horse rental or day rides are available in the park, Badlands invites horse owners to explore the Badlands Wilderness Area, consisting of 64,000 acres of eroded spires and mixed-grass prairie, or other designated areas of the park via horseback.
Visit the White River Visitor Center · 15-60 Minutes · no dogs · Spring, Summer, Fall
The White River Visitor Center is the main facility in the South Unit of the park. Be sure to stop by to pick up maps, enjoy museum exhibits, and chat with rangers about the significance of the Badlands and treaties in Lakota heritage.

About these trails

The lines are the National Park Service's public trails layer, the trailheads and the waterfalls, views, peaks and historic places along them the Service's public points of interest, read 2026-10-14 and simplified for the map. The write-ups are the Service's own "things to do", unedited. Heights come from USGS 3DEP through Terrain Tiles on AWS (Mapzen/Tilezen), read along each line and rounded; a short trail on steep ground can be off by a few tens of feet. Closures change: check the park's own site before you go.