Badlands National Park surprised me with it’s breathtaking views. I would absolutely go back. Although, I’d recommend if hiking & camping is what you’re interested in doing here…don’t go in the dead of summer.
There isn’t an ounce of shade. I went in May and it was the perfect temperature. In terms of hiking trails there aren’t a ton of marked trails. But this park allows you to hike & camp off trail. Just be sure to know where you’re headed as the landscape looks very similar.
Length: .8 miles
Estimated Hike Time: 20 minutes
One of my favorite hikes! The Door hike is super easy & allows you to walk out past the paved trail and follow yellow markers into the Badlands. You’ll be privy to breathtaking landscapes and the ability to see little critters like chipmunks, lizards…I even saw a snake! Once you come to the end of the yellow markers make sure to look back to see the “door” in the wall.
Length: 1.3 Miles
Estimated Hike Time: 40 minutes
Not for those with a fear of heights unless you can conquer it! This trail starts out with a leisurely walk and then you see it, a wooden ladder taking you to new heights. To be honest, I have a fear of heights and was able to conquer this ladder. The trail itself isn’t super strenuous. However, there are some tight pathways along cliff walls but the view at the end makes it more than worth it!
Length: 0.2 miles Estimated Hike Time: 5 minutes
This trail is completely board walk accessible. Literally only takes a few minutes. It’s in the same parking lot as the Notch & Door trail. There’s a cute little overlook for picture taking. And it’s great to do in between the Door and the Notch trails.
Length: .25 miles Estimated Hike Time: 25 minutes
Of all the trails I went on this was my favorite! You start off in a parking lot and begin making your way up a “mountain” or very large hill. The trail is marked with little poles. This trail was probably the most strenuous one I did. The incline is steep-ish and the gravel can be on the looser side. We slide backwards and forwards a number of times. However, you’ll get to a plateau at the top, which is where most people stop…and it is beautiful. Behind you is prairie, in front of you are the formations. If you’re feeling daring, I highly recommend making your way up to the tip top. Travel across the plateau and up the rocks to the top for an even better lookout. Remember to be careful though! I didn’t make it to the very top due to my fear of heights but Dan did. & he’s the one that snapped the picture above. I stayed at a little bit lower of a height and just took pictures of Dan…which is pretty par for the course!
Length: 0.5 miles Estimated Hike Time: 15 minutes
This is a quick little hike with a number of stairs. It leads to an outlook point at the top. Very pretty & gives you another perspective of the Badlands. If you turn around at the top and look up you can see the outlook at the end of the Notch Trail up in the formations behind you!
