Window Trail in Badlands National Park

Welcome to another Travel Tuesday! We’re still in South Dakota this week, but headed off to the Window Trail in Badlands National Park!

Window Trail in Badlands National Park

Distance: 0.2 miles out + back
Elevation: 6 feet
Difficulty: Easy
Admission: $25 for 1 private vehicle (good for 7 days); free with annual park pass ($80)
Parking: Included with admission fee
Trailhead Address: Notch Trail, Interior, SD 57750

I’m not sure what I was expecting when I got to Badlands National Park, but it definitely wasn’t these views! It’s located in the same parking lot as the Notch Trail and the Door Trail (post coming next week!). Notch Trail is the farthest on the right. This one’s in the middle and Door Trail is the left-most trail.

As you may have noticed above, this trail is super, super short. I would call it a casual stroll more than an actual hike.

This is a handicap-accessible boardwalk trail that’ll lead to an absolutely gorgeous view at the very end. It’s very heavily trafficked for precisely this reason, but it’s still worth it!

You can go off trail here and there to climb around on the rocks, but be careful, as there are rattlesnakes and drop-offs.

If you’re here during the summer like we were (we went in July), I’d definitely recommend getting there early! It gets super hot later in the day!

• What’s the shortest “trail” you’ve ever hiked?
• Do you look up pictures of places (e.g. hikes, national parks) before you go to them?