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Activity Cedar Pass, Badlands National Park

Notch Trail

An activity in Cedar Pass, Badlands National Park, free to visit and worth about 1.5 hours. Best time to go: Morning.

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Notch Trail in Cedar Pass, Badlands National Park
Photo: Jake Seboly · Google

Why go

1.5-mile trail with a log ladder climb to a ledge over the White River Valley.

It is one of 10 curated places we feature in Badlands National Park, alongside 4 sights, 3 activities and 1 place for a drink. The closest of our other picks is Door Trail, 0.3 mi away as the crow flies.

Type
Activity · Adventure
Neighborhood
Cedar Pass
Price
Free
Time needed
1.5 hr
Best time
Morning

Nearby

The 6 closest curated picks in Badlands National Park, measured as straight-line distance.

  1. 1
    Door Trail

    Easy 0.75-mile trail through a break in the Badlands Wall into eroded terrain.

    Activity · 0.3 mi straight-line
  2. 2
    Ben Reifel Visitor Center

    Main park visitor center with a fossil prep lab and orientation film.

    Sight · 1.0 mi straight-line
  3. 3
    Cedar Pass Lodge Restaurant

    The park's only restaurant, known for Indian tacos and bison burgers.

    Food · 1.2 mi straight-line
  4. 4
    Fossil Exhibit Trail

    Short accessible boardwalk with fossil replicas of ancient mammals.

    Sight · 3.8 mi straight-line
  5. 5
    Badlands Loop Road

    SD Highway 240 through the park, with overlooks every few miles.

    Activity · 5.6 mi straight-line
  6. 6
    Minuteman Missile National Historic Site

    Cold War missile site with a visitor center and the Delta-09 silo viewing window.

    Sight · 6.0 mi straight-line

On these curated routes

Notch Trail is a stop on our Dakotas Badlands & Black Hills route. Open it to see the full day-by-day plan.

More things to do in Badlands National Park

Another curated activity in Badlands National Park. See the full Badlands National Park guide.

When to go

Average daily highs in Badlands National Park run from 36°F in December to 93°F in July; May is usually the wettest month. For Notch Trail itself, we suggest: Morning.

Modelled monthly averages for Badlands National Park from NASA POWER, not a forecast. Full Badlands National Park weather by month.

Getting there

Map links open a live search for Notch Trail, so hours and directions come straight from the map app.

Address
SD-240, Interior, SD 57750, USA
Coordinates
43.76006, -101.92820
Destination
Badlands National Park, South Dakota

Notch Trail: quick answers

How much time do you need at Notch Trail?

Plan on about 1.5 hours at Notch Trail. That is our curated estimate for a typical visit; groups that linger will want more.

When is the best time to visit Notch Trail?

Our pick: Morning. Insider tip: Skip in rain; the clay becomes slick.

Is Notch Trail free?

Yes, we list Notch Trail as free to visit. Check locally before you go, since special exhibits, parking or tours can carry a fee.

Where is Notch Trail?

Notch Trail is at SD-240, Interior, SD 57750, USA, in Cedar Pass. The Google Maps and Apple Maps links on this page open it for directions.

Which TripsCircle routes include Notch Trail?

Notch Trail appears on Dakotas Badlands & Black Hills, a curated route you can open on TripsCircle and plan with your group.

Add Notch Trail to your crew's plan

Save it to a shared TripsCircle itinerary, settle the timing with a quick poll, and split the costs with everyone going to Badlands National Park.

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Lists & regions

Also in Badlands National Park

Curated recommendation, not live listing data. Confirm hours, prices, bookings and access before you go.