Name: Notch Trail
Rating: 4.6

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Dogs Unknown

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Watch for drop offs. Not recommended for anyone with a fear of heights. Treacherous during or after heavy rains.

Description

After meandering through a small canyon, this trail climbs a ladder and follows a ledge to the Notch for a dramatic view of the White River Valley. The trail begins at the south end of the Door and Window parking area.

Contacts

Land Manager: NPS - Badlands National Park

Shared By:

Nicole Tarsan

Full Details

Trail Ratings

4.6 from 82 votes

#1

in Badlands National Park

#9

Overall

4.6 from 82 votes

5 Star		67%
4 Star		27%
3 Star		6%
2 Star		0%
1 Star		0%

Trail Rankings

4 Views Last Month

2,463 Since Sep 29, 2015

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		19%
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Photos

Looking down the wooden Ladder on Notch Trail

Apr 30, 2016 near Kadoka, SD

Mar 24, 2016 near Kadoka, SD

Oct 18, 2021 near Kadoka, SD

Aug 6, 2020 near Kadoka, SD

Jan 10, 2021 near Kadoka, SD

The beautiful prairie view seems particularly surreal when it opens up unexpectedly out of the Badlands landscape.

Jun 28, 2016 near Kadoka, SD

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Weather

Current Trail Conditions

All Clear 89 days ago

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Add Your Check-In

Check-Ins

Sep 16, 2025

Jerri Brock

Sep 7, 2025

Kelsey Canary

Aug 3, 2025

Stewart Carnes

Jul 24, 2025

Matt Hardgrove

Jul 5, 2025

Haden Smith

1.5mi

Jul 4, 2025

Anonymous

Jun 8, 2025

Anonymous

May 22, 2025

Madison Baker

Sep 12, 2024

Tom Stinson

Jun 11, 2024

Lara Verbecken

Jun 3, 2024

Cary Greenfield

Jun 1, 2024

Cary Greenfield

May 11, 2024

David Scott

Mar 2, 2024

Trevor Eisenbraun

Sep 13, 2023

Tyler Thieding

Jul 8, 2023

LAURA ELBL

May 16, 2023

Diana Frenson

Feb 11, 2023

Christian Gardner

Oct 3, 2022

Zoey Franzen

1.6mi — 1h 08m

Sep 9, 2022

Lauren Stanchick

Jul 30, 2022

Shannon Watry

Jun 26, 2022

Ben Andrus

Cohen, Dex, and I. Fun ladder, and cool view from the top 1.5mi — 1h 00m

Jun 12, 2022

Natalie Williamson

Sun reflects on the rock, make sure to wear sunscreen!

Jun 8, 2022

Cindy Ballard

Jun 5, 2022

Leah Walsh

0.6mi — 1h 00m

Jun 4, 2022

Christopher Lee

May 23, 2022

John Eversmeyer

2mi — 1h 10m

Apr 25, 2022

Jill Shaddy-Gouvion

1.2mi

Oct 8, 2021

Austin Eschweiler

Oct 2, 2021

David Hitchcock

Great hike, Bighorn Sheep right off the trail, hiked in the morning and there was no one at the Notch. Great views to the South.

Sep 25, 2021

Richard Vogel

Sep 10, 2021

Erik Walsh

1.2mi — 0h 45m

Aug 14, 2021

Casey Koeser

Aug 10, 2021

Darik Kooistra

1mi — 1h 00m

Aug 3, 2021

Michelle Armiger

0.6mi

Aug 2, 2021

Jennifer Spicher

2mi

Jul 29, 2021

Vamsi Sagi

0.6mi — 1h 30m

Jul 26, 2021

Jennifer Sinz

Jul 17, 2021

KATHY SOSEMAN

hiked the ladder with Andy and Peggy 1.2mi — 8h 30m

Jul 16, 2021

Dave Wiebking

Ladder crowded. Hike ends in a view of the valley. Barn swallows along the way. — 9h 00m

Jul 13, 2021

David Fulmer

1.3mi — 0h 27m

Jul 5, 2021

Bob Nantz

Jul 4, 2021

Johnny Kube

Jun 29, 2021

Joanne Grill

Jun 25, 2021

Jennifer Douglas

Jun 8, 2021

Alex Shehab

0.6mi

Jun 2, 2021

M S

May 31, 2021

Liz Rogers

Best hike! Great place to see birds 1.2mi

May 8, 2021

Emilie Kitt

beautiful views 0.6mi

May 4, 2021

Randy Turner

Apr 24, 2021

Corey Beavers

Apr 17, 2021

Bob Caperton

Fantastic hike! — 2h 30m

Mar 24, 2021

Mike Rose

Mar 17, 2021

Emily May

Lots of snow and sludge!

Dec 23, 2020

Josh Hull

Nov 28, 2020

Daniel Schuetter

Rare landscape. Like Mordor or Hell. Won't see anything else like it. 11-27-20

Oct 24, 2020

Caroline Juravičienė

Oct 13, 2020

Rachel Mundell

Oct 8, 2020

Brian Roe

Sep 25, 2020

Lauren Penna

0.6mi

Sep 8, 2020

Emely B

Sep 1, 2020

Scott S

Nice hike! Better if you take a side trail and avoid the ladder. — 11h 30m

Aug 17, 2020

Jen Kwok

Aug 11, 2020

Brandi Baldwin

12h 33m

Aug 7, 2020

Tesha Raines

Jul 30, 2020

Jason C

Jul 13, 2020

Abby Gross

Very fun to take Erins camera up the ladder!

Jul 8, 2020

Jacob Stuckey

w/ Heather

Jul 5, 2020

Sasha Kinkead

Jul 3, 2020

Michele W

Long hike, lots of fun climbing rocks!

Jun 28, 2020

Angela Guthrie

8h 00m

Jun 24, 2020

Tiffany Ott

Jun 23, 2020

Parker Antwine

1.2mi

Jun 21, 2020

Whit Travisano

Jun 20, 2020

Angie Marsh

Jun 12, 2020

Dennis Chan

1.2mi — 1h 00m

Jun 9, 2020

Shana Allison

Jun 5, 2020

Nicole Brainard

It was a different type of experience and the ladder at the beginning/middle made this trail. Otherwise, it's a bit boring and the view isn't worth it 0.6mi

Jun 3, 2020

Vitaly Gonchar

May 25, 2020

Katherine Newcomer

Apr 26, 2020

Kayla Lyman

Nov 25, 2019

Ellie C

Nov 16, 2019

Tom Herr

Stimulating hike including a wooden ladder and vista of White River Valley at the end. Need to do again. 1.2mi

Oct 18, 2019

John Shotton

Oct 18, 2019

Ally Roberts

Oct 18, 2019

Brent Laube

1.5mi

Sep 25, 2019

Anne Cowles

Sep 2, 2019

Mr. & Mrs. Springer

1mi

Aug 25, 2019

Tessa Vande Velden

Aug 19, 2019

Stephanie Palmer

Aug 17, 2019

Jake Bohnet

Aug 9, 2019

Zoe Cross

Aug 3, 2019

Jack M

1.6mi

Jul 29, 2019

Saranya Subramanian

1.3mi

Jul 27, 2019

Kate Marschalk

1h 00m

Jul 26, 2019

Dave C

Jul 26, 2019

Dominic Galloro

2h 00m

Jul 5, 2019

David Tarr

Beautiful at sunrise, tho clay is VERY slick from rain. step on rocks 1.5mi — 0h 46m

Jul 4, 2019

Lauren Sargeant

Jun 28, 2019

Sarah Stemper

0.6mi

Jun 22, 2019

Seth Liverseed

ladder climb.

Jun 9, 2019

Paul Thalacker

Jun 3, 2019

Ryan Gillikin

9h 30m

Jun 1, 2019

steve b

May 28, 2019

Trevor Kirkland

Fun hike with some climbing and decent views at the end

May 25, 2019

NOBUHIRO KONDO

May 23, 2019

Katie C

Beautiful views back down to Cedar Pass Lodge and the Cliff Shelf trail that we hiked this am. — 1h 30m

May 16, 2019

Elissa Covey

May 16, 2019

Jeffrey Beacham

19h 00m

Feb 2, 2019

Emily Zych

Oct 21, 2018

Brian Ertl

Oct 11, 2018

Greer Vogl

Sep 22, 2018

Jessica Callahan

1.9mi

Sep 7, 2018

Hannah Leidall

Sep 3, 2018

Kim Decker

Sep 2, 2018

Dylan Dingbaum

Sep 1, 2018

Timothy Pollock

Aug 31, 2018

Jake S

Aug 29, 2018

Craig Fairfield

Aug 17, 2018

Amy B

2:46

Jul 31, 2018

Heather Leykam

Beautiful!! 6mi

Jul 30, 2018

Chayce Rickelman

Jul 26, 2018

Wes Gibson

1.2mi

Jul 22, 2018

M S

Great spot for a snack at the end of the trail 2.1mi

Jul 22, 2018

Sarah Maynard

Jul 20, 2018

Aaron Fagerwick

Jul 19, 2018

Aaron Fagerwick

0.6mi

Jul 17, 2018

The Nelmengers

Jul 10, 2018

Anthony Fagnani

Jul 9, 2018

Brian Anton

Jul 7, 2018

Rita Beckman

1mi

Jul 7, 2018

Brian Anton

Jul 6, 2018

Brandon Petty

Jul 4, 2018

Christopher Higginson

Jun 21, 2018

Katie Connolly

Fun and quick 0.6mi

Jun 19, 2018

Liz Johnson

Jun 16, 2018

Nick Simon

Jun 13, 2018

Darsha Maxson

Jun 8, 2018

Amy Kortisses

May 30, 2018

Geoff Pleiss

May 27, 2018

Melissa Postlethwait

May 1, 2018

Eric Zimmerman

With VJZ

May 1, 2018

Kim Curtis

Feb 25, 2018

Adriane Weast

Oct 13, 2017

Andrew Avila

Oct 10, 2017

Mike Short

Sep 16, 2017

Elizabeth A

Sep 12, 2017

Amy Radz

Sep 8, 2017

Russ Wise

Aug 30, 2017

Josh Littlefield

1.2mi

Aug 14, 2017

Edwin W

Aug 12, 2017

Kelsey Pizac

Aug 11, 2017

Ryan Riessen

Very cool trail!! If you can do one trail it would be this one 1.2mi

Jul 22, 2017

Private User

Jul 17, 2017

Jamie Van Fossen

0.6mi — 1h 00m

Jul 17, 2017

Jeremy Wilker

Jul 10, 2017

Jennifer Laura

Not good for people who are scared of heights

Jul 9, 2017

Ryan Vonderhaar

Awesome trail. Must do if you're in the Badlands 6mi

Jul 8, 2017

Steven MacLean

Jul 8, 2017

Ryan Sherer

Notch Trail! Unobstructed views and no other people at sunrise 0.6mi

Jul 3, 2017

Andrew Demolat

Jun 26, 2017

J T

Jun 26, 2017

Michael Szarpa

Jun 24, 2017

Leah Pratt

The ladder is tied down now and had some backups at prime time. Forks off at the end to two distinctly different views. 2.5mi

Jun 21, 2017

Jean-Christophe Lecocq

Jun 17, 2017

Arminda Evelyn

Jun 12, 2017

Asher F

Jun 6, 2017

Eva Gutierrez

Jun 5, 2017

Bert Dalmer

May 31, 2017

Dan Frechtling

Oct 9, 2016

Kevin Arentz

Oct 5, 2016

nic sev

Sep 3, 2016

Katie Hughes

1h 14m

Aug 19, 2016

Aaron Sage

Great trail. Hiked with 3 dads and 5 boys ranging images from 6-12. Windy and rain at the start; completely drenched and cold by the end 1.5mi — 1h 00m

Aug 2, 2016

Kenneth Kunkle

Jul 26, 2016

My Abajero

Jul 24, 2016

Neal Cervone

Jul 21, 2016

Logan Johnson

Jul 14, 2016

Chris McCloud

Did as part of 2 day stay at Badlands NP, 7/13-7/14/16.

Jul 10, 2016

Mark Sprague

Fun trail 1.2mi — 1h 00m

Jul 9, 2016

October Greenfield

Jul 7, 2016

Tristan Justice

Awesome trail with breathtaking views. The trail was much steeper than I thought it would be at points. 6mi — 10h 00m

Jun 26, 2016

Rachel Vecchitto

Jun 19, 2016

Brett Sabol

Jun 17, 2016

Zack Taylor

May 31, 2016

Jessica Krohner

May 30, 2016

Sarah Mae Crober

May 22, 2016

Katie Johnson

Awesome finale view — 6h 15m

May 11, 2016

Scott Sallade

Apr 12, 2016

Mary-kate George

Jan 17, 2016

Nicole Tarsan

Notch Trail

Jul 29, 2015

Sonia Boller

Jun 28, 2015

Brett Gaffney

Jun 19, 2015

Emily Tolan

Jul 17, 2013

Paul Morelli

Aug 8, 2011

Tara Crotteau

Jul 31, 2010

Laura Schwartz

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Notch Trail

“Earn some dramatic views from "the Notch", a vista found along a steep ledge atop this trail. ”

0.6

1.0

Point to Point

2,789' 850 m

2,651' 808 m

144' 44 m

6' 2 m

4%

19%

Toolbox

Know This Trail?

Dogs Unknown

Features Views

Description

Contacts

Shared By:

Trail Ratings

#1

#9

#1

#1

#9

Photos

0 Comments

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Weather

Current Trail Conditions

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Nearby Recommended Routes

Badlands: Medicine Root/Castle/Saddle Pass Loop

Sage Creek Wilderness Area Loop

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