State: South Dakota
Location: Badlands National Park
Length, Round Trip: 0.8 miles
Trail Type: Out and Back
Best Season: Spring, Fall
Difficulty: Easy
Usage: Heavy
The Black Hills of South Dakota
Trail Information
The Door Trail is a 3/4 mile round trip trail that focuses on the park’s geologic history. The trail begins at the northern end of the Door and Window parking area two miles northeast of the Ben Reifel Visitor Center. The Door Trail penetrates into wildly eroded badlands through a break called “The Door” in the Badlands Wall. The first 150 yards of the trail includes an accessible boardwalk. However, the path soon become more rugged as visitors can then follow the yellow markers an additional 300 yards across rough badlands terrain. Good walking shoes are recommended. Additionally, visitors should stay on the trail or within sight of the markers in the Door area. Those venturing into the formations beyond the yellow markers occasionally lose their bearings and become lost.
Warning: Digging and/or moving fossils or artifacts from their locations in the ground is prohibited by Federal law. This is taken very seriously in Badlands Park. Offenders are prosecuted. Fines range from $50.00 to $250,000 and in severe cases offenders have been jailed.
Directions
From Ben Reifel Visitor Center:
Take Badlands Loop Road a little over 1 mile north (right out of the visitor center) to the Door and Window parking area.
