Badlands National Park is a very unique park located outside Rapid City, South Dakota. It is known for its jagged rock formations (known as Buttes) among the prairie lands. The park features great hikes and takes you through many unique sceneries. Make sure to check out these best hikes in Badlands National Park along with a guided itinerary for spending a full day for exploring.
Anthony and Gianna on the Door Trail in Badlands National Park
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Quick Facts about Badlands National Park
Location: 1hr East from Rapid City, SD
Size: 250,000 acres! (Comparison: Yellowstone – 2.3 million acres, 750,000 acres)
What to see: Fossils, Bighorn Sheep, Prairie Dogs, Bison, Ferrets, Pronghorn, Butterflies.
I had the chance to visit Badlands National Park with my girlfriend during our cross-country roadtrip from New York to California. For its small size and remote location, the park has tons of unique aspects that make it well-worth visiting. There are also many amazing places nearby to visit such as Mt. Rushmore and Custer State Park.
Map of Badlands NP, North Side
Best Hikes in Badlands National Park: Planning Our Day in Badlands
Our day in Badlands was prioritized by hikes and pull-off locations throughout the park. Here are some of the hikes we completed, along with some recommendations to see the most of what the park has to offer.
Favorite Overlooks in Badlands National Park
1. Panorama Point Overlook – A wide view of the vast badlands rock and prairie lands
Panorama Point Overlook, Badlands NP
2. Yellow Mounds Overlook – Beautiful red and yellow rocks that add rich color to the park
Yellow Mounds Overlook, Badlands NP
Best Hikes in Badlands National Park
1. Notch Trail
Length: 1.5 mi
Difficulty: Moderate
What to look for: Climbing ladder, overlooks, canyon trail.
Watch this video to catch a glimpse of the views along the Notch Trail! This was taken during our visit to Badlands National Park in 2024 during our New York to California Road Trip
2. Door Trail
Length: 0.9 mi
Difficulty: Easy
What to look for: Stunning views, easily accessible, relatively flat.
Door Trail View, Badlands NP
3. Window Trail
Length: 0.3 mi
Difficulty: Easy
What to look for: Easy stroll, great views, family friendly.
Gianna on the Window Trail, Badlands NP
4. Fossil Exhibit Trail
Length: 0.4 mi
Difficulty: Easy
What to look for: Fossils, self-guided, short.
Fossil Exhibit Trail on Alltrails
5. Castle Trail
Length: 10.3 mi
Difficulty: Moderate
What to look for: Longest route, backcountry, isolated.
Getting Around in Badlands
We entered Badlands National Park through exit 131 in Cactus Flats, or the Northeast Entrance. You can also enter the park through the Northwest Entrance in Wall, SD.
Inside of the park, there are two main roads you are able to use: Badlands Loop Road, and Highway 44.
Badlands Loop Rd will take you through all of the main trails and look-outs that the North side of the park has to offer, and is what we did and recommend! Keep in mind that Highway 44 is a dirt road and should only be accessed by off-road / 4-wheel drive vehicles.
Closing Thoughts
However you choose to enjoy the scenery in Badlands, make sure to stop and check out some of the recommended hikes and overlooks so that you can make the most of your one day in the park!
Anthony at the Badlands sign, Badlands NP