Are you up for this just under 5 mile lollipop loop trail through some of the starkest badlands formations? Climbing up Saddle Pass to Medicine Root and looping back via Castle Trail is perfect for hikers who want to get their blood pumping and some mileage experiencing the diversity of the Badlands National Park ecosystems.
This trek has everything: peaceful prairie walks with gently swaying grasses, a little rock scrambling, and incredible views of the dramatic badlands.
Where to Start the Trail?
If you want to incorporate all three sections into one lollipop loop trail, you will begin the hike at Saddle Pass Trailhead.
Another option is to hike Castle Trail and Medicine Root as a loop, with a spur trail to Saddle Pass Overlook. Instead of hiking the fun (or some may say challenging) part of Saddle Pass, you can simply just take in the views at the top. If you’d prefer this route, you could begin your hike at the intersection of Castle and Medicine Root trails across from Door and Window parking area.
What to Keep in Mind Before Your Hike
- Parking is limited: The parking area is pretty small and usually packed. Many families and groups just hike Saddle Pass and will be back to their cars in a short amount of time. So, it’s worth hanging around for a bit to see if a space opens up.
- Sunscreen is a must: Don’t even think about leaving your sunscreen in the car. This entire trail gets full sun with no shade, and it’s relentless! This is coming from a Floridian! Wearing breathable layers is also recommended in warmer weather.
- Pack extra water: Skimping on water is basically risking your life out here. Heat stroke is real, and it’s likelihood in Badlands National Park is much higher than in other parks. Bring plenty of water to last you the whole hike.
- Wildlife: We didn’t see any bison in this section of the park, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a possibility! Rattlesnakes are known to be present in the high grasses. Many flying insects and bugs are also present, but never annoyed us (we did not put bug spray on either). With any animal on National Park land, never approach them and always keep your distance.
- Open hike policy: Badlands is different than other protected lands in that the NPS actually allows visitors free rein to explore off-trail. Of course, in the policy they say to “exercise caution” especially in the back country where there is no cell service and you may run into a bison.
Part 1: Climb Up Saddle Pass
Saddle Pass is a very steep ascent up the Badlands Wall. You’ll gain a lot of elevation in a short hike (300 ft elevation).
This trail is only 0.70 miles, but is considered as strenuous by the National Park Service. I would say it’s a moderately challenging trail, which is further complicated if you’re hiking during a busy time of day and have fellow hikers trying to go the opposite direction. Not everyone is too graceful coming down, so beware.
Climbing up, you’ll have some of the best views in the park over the White River Valley.
AllTrails Map of Saddle Pass Trail
Part 2: Medicine Root
Turning towards the prairie after Saddle Pass Overlook, you’ll walk to a four way intersection with signs for Medicine Root and Castle Trail. You may choose to begin the loop either with Medicine Root or Castle Trail. We chose Medicine Root as we had been seeing a lot of the badlands and were up for a change of scenery with prairie grasses for a bit. Medicine Root is classified as moderate, mostly due to its distance. If you hike it with Castle Trail, it’ll be 4 miles in total.
The trail was named to honor the Lakota people and Native American traditions of using various plants and roots for healing and connecting with nature.
Medicine Root was my favorite section of this loop because of the peaceful mixed-grass prairie which was silent except for the rustling of the grasses in the ever-present wind. We did pass other hikers, but for the vast majority of the time, it was just us. The solitude allowed me to really take in the plants like cactus and occasional worn down badlands formations in the distance.
AllTrails Map of Medicine Root and Castle Trail Loop
What is a Mixed Grass Prairie?
A mixed-grass prairie is a vast grassland where grasses of varying heights grow. Located between tall-grass prairies to the east and short-grass prairies to the west, mixed-grass prairies, like those found in Badlands National Park, feature grasses ranging from ankle-high to waist-high. Due to their transitional location, mixed-grass prairies boast a greater diversity of plant species than other prairie types.
With over 400 plant species, Badlands National Park is a prime example of a mixed-grass prairie. While trees, shrubs, and forbs are present, grasses dominate the landscape, with Western Wheatgrass, the state grass of South Dakota, being particularly common.
An Endangered Ecosystem
Grasslands once dominated the United States, but today, mixed-grass prairies in the Great Plains have been reduced to just 30% of their original size. This decline began in the mid-1800s with the Homesteading Acts, which encouraged westward expansion and converted prairie land into farmland. The Dawes Act further reduced tribal lands, leading to more agricultural and ranching activities.
Today, prairies continue to be used for agriculture and ranching. However, many individuals and organizations are working to conserve prairie ecosystems. Partners like the Northern Great Plains Fire Ecology Program and the Northern Great Plains Inventory and Monitoring Network assist Badlands National Park in preserving its grasslands. The US Forest Service also plays a crucial role in maintaining the Buffalo Gap National Grassland and educating visitors about the importance of prairies. The Visitor Center has very detailed educational displays about the prairie grasses.
Part 3: Castle Trail
Also rated as moderate, Castle Trail is technically the longest in the park as it begins off Old Northeast Road, across from the Door and Window parking area. It follows a 5 mile path to the Fossil Exhibit Trail. The path is easy to follow, level with dirt, and allows you to pass through and get up close with some badlands formations.
Although the park doesn’t clarify online, I think the “castle” in the name refers to the rock pinnacle formations in a similar way that Bryce Canyon’s hoodoos had unique names that resembled their shape.
In contrast to Medicine Root, Castle Trail is more of a barren landscape. NPS has put in many markers (red and black stakes in the ground) to help guide you along the trail. These are extremely helpful in this section of the park amid spires, buttes, fins and sod tables. We did lose our way at one point, unable to find the next marker, but we just waited until another couple came along the trail to help us get back on track.
The only downside I experienced while on this hike was the presence of power lines and poles that ran near the intersection of Medicine Root and Castle Trail. They’re necessary for powering the Visitor Center, however, they slightly take away from the wild experience.