The Window Trail

Badlands National Park, South Dakota

Located within the Northern Great Plains, Badlands National Park protects 244,000 acres of ruggedly beautiful landscapes - native mixed grass prairie, fossils, spectacular desert scenery, and a variety of native wildlife await the intrepid visitor.

Numerous scenic overlooks along the Badlands Loop Road provide amazing views of the expansive desert wilderness, but to truly experience the beauty of the Badlands you need to get off road and on a trail - the Window Trail is a great introduction to the spires, buttes, and vastness of the mako sica, the Lakota name for the area.

The Window Trail, a 0.25 mile out and back path, is a short trail that leads to a natural window in the Badlands Wall - the path ends at a railed overlook, complete with panoramic views of the canyon, which has been ruthlessly eroded by wind and water.