Hiking the Fossil Exhibit Trail in Beautiful Badlands National Park

Looking for more fun things to do in Badlands National Park?
Don’t miss the incredible Notch Trail! While you’re there, check out the short but stunning Window and Door Trails as well.

CURRENT INFO

Find more information and maps for the Fossil Exhibit Trail on the AllTrails website. General hiking information and more is also available on the National Park Service Website. If you’re planning a trip to Badlands National Park and the Black Hills of South Dakota, I recommend the book Moon South Dakota’s Black Hills: With Mount Rushmore & Badlands National Park by Laural A. Bidwell.

GOOD TO KNOW

• Badlands National Park charges a $30 entrance fee per car, valid for seven days. Pay at the park entrance station.
• If you have an America the Beautiful pass (or other national parks pass), this covers the entrance fee for Badlands National Park. You can purchase a pass online, or from a park entrance station. Some individuals, including veterans, fourth graders, and seniors, may qualify for a free or reduced price pass. You can also purchase a $55 pass valid only for Badlands National Park. Personally, I recommend the America the Beautiful pass, because it covers entrance fees for all national lands, not just national parks, including trailheads on National Forest land.
• The parking lot for the Fossil Exhibit Trail is right off Highway 240, the main road through Badlands National Park.
• Arrive early to avoid crowds. In summer, this also avoids the hottest part of the day.
• Restrooms are available at the trailhead.
• Pets are not allowed on trails in Badlands National Park.
• Bring water, shade hats, and sunscreen. This trail is very short, but exposed.
• Wear shoes or boots with good traction if you plan to hike beyond the boardwalks. Badlands National Park is an open hiking park, which means you can hike anywhere — on trail, off, trail, you get to choose! Have fun, but stay safe and watch out for those around you as well.
• Always follow Leave No Trace principles.

HIGHLIGHTS

The Fossil Exhibit Trail is a great place to learn more about the wide range of animals that called this place home in ages past. There were no dinosaurs in the Badlands, but the area was once home to a diverse array of now-extinct mammals and reptiles. Go back even further (67 million years ago or more!), and the land was covered by a shallow sea teeming with life. Interpretive signs along the trail highlight many of these fascinating creatures.

THE KIDS’ TAKE

There’s always more to explore in Badlands National Park! As usual, the kids were immediately drawn to the rocks, where they climbed high above the trail. They also enjoyed the three-dimensional sculptures of different fossils featured on the signs. The small sculptures enhance the park experience for blind visitors, and are also an appealing way for kids to engage with the trail. Pro tip: stop by the visitor center to pick up a Junior Ranger booklet before starting your hike.

WHILE YOU’RE HERE

Badlands National Park begs to be explored. Start your day with a stop at the Ben Reifel Visitor Center, where you can see paleontologists at work on recent fossil finds. Campers can stay overnight at Cedar Pass Campground, while those looking for a few more creature comforts will appreciate the Cedar Pass Lodge cabins. In either case, you’ll be treated to stunning views of the Badlands from your home base.

A few miles from the visitor center, the Notch Trail is a great way to start your adventure. From the same parking lot, explore the short but stunning Window and Door Trails. West of the Fossil Exhibit Trail, follow Highway 240 for incredible views, a visit to Roberts Prairie Dog Town, and maybe even a buffalo sighting.

Before we even reached the Fossil Exhibit Trail, our day had been filled with adventures. Earlier that morning, the Notch Trail took us high into the mysterious formations of the Badlands, revealing hidden caves and crevices. In comparison to that experience, the Fossil Exhibit Trail was merely a boardwalk trail following a flat, half-mile loop.

The Fossil Exhibit Trail may be tame, but it’s the place to go to learn more about the hidden treasures found hidden here — fossils. Oh, so many fossils! The boys were hopeful they might discover one for themselves, but never did. I can’t say how hard they looked, as they seemed far more interested in scaling the cliffs than sifting through the dirt. But it’s true that every year new specimens are found in the Badlands, newly exposed as wind and rain steadily erode the mudstone formations.

At the start of the trail, a kiosk includes helpful signs showing the geological history of the region, including the different animal species of each era. As you walk along the boardwalk, signs highlight specific animals, giving insight into their lives together with a small sculpture of the corresponding fossil. The signs were engaging enough to draw the attention of the kids, who were otherwise far more interested in the off-trail experience.

At the far end of the loop, we all wandered off trail, drawn by a curiosity to see what lay on the other side. Beyond the crumbling rocks, the green grass of the prairies stretched to the horizon.

Turning around, the entire loop of the Fossil Exhibit Trail was visible. It was tiny, just a quick detour off the highway. I noticed half the visitors stuck to the trail, pausing to read each sign diligently, while the rest wandered off trail, necks craning to take in their surroundings.

Free from the constraints of the trail, the kids took to wandering the surrounding rocks. Six-year-old T grew more daring as the day progressed, and climbed high above us. If you look closely at the photo below, you just might spot him below one of the pointed peaks.

Of course, if you go up, you eventually must come down. That, my friends, is the hard part. Badlands National Park warns visitors that climbing down is more challenging than climbing up. Now T was experiencing this first hand. His older brother decided to take on the challenge himself, and provided T with some helpful pointers as he carefully made his way back.

With the family together again, we piled into the car and headed back onto the highway. The Fossil Exhibit Trail was our last hike of the day, but other wonders awaited us down the road, from panoramic vistas to prairie dogs. At Badlands National Park, there’s always more to explore.