Trail Compass

Hiking trails in South Dakota

25 trails across 3 state parks, national forests, and recreation areas — filtered by difficulty.

Hiking trails in South Dakota span every kind of public land the state has to offer — state parks, national forests, recreation areas, county preserves, and a few NPS units. Trail Compass currently lists 25 trails across 3 parks in South Dakota, organised by difficulty so you can land on the right route in a few clicks.

Browse by difficulty using the four filter cards directly below, or scroll to the full state trail table. Easy and moderate routes dominate near the population centers; hard and expert routes cluster in the higher, more remote corners of the Great Plains, Black Hills, and badlands.

Best hiking season across South Dakota is generally May through October; summer thunderstorms build fast and lightning is the primary objective hazard on exposed grassland. Shorter walks at lower elevations stay accessible longer than alpine routes — if you are hiking in a shoulder month, lean toward state-park trails near urban centers and save the high country for peak season.

Expect to share the trail with pronghorn, bison herds inside protected reserves, prairie dogs, golden eagles, and rattlesnakes in the warmer months. Carry bear spray where signage advises it, store food properly, and remember that the wildlife was here first.

Pick a difficulty tier from the filter cards below, or jump straight to a specific park.

Browse by difficulty in South Dakota

Easy 10 easy trails in South Dakota Moderate 7 moderate trails in South Dakota Hard 8 hard trails in South Dakota

Parks in South Dakota

Badlands National Park

10 trails

Wind Cave National Park

10 trails

Custer State Park

5 trails

All 25 trails in South Dakota

TrailParkLengthDifficulty
Badlands Falls Trail Badlands National Park 3.48 mi Moderate
Badlands Canyon Loop Badlands National Park 5.65 mi Moderate
Badlands Summit Trail Badlands National Park 7.56 mi Hard
Badlands Lakeshore Trail Badlands National Park 2.19 mi Easy
Badlands Meadow Loop Badlands National Park 1.47 mi Easy
Badlands Backcountry Traverse Badlands National Park 12.2 mi Hard
Badlands Rim Walk Badlands National Park 3.48 mi Easy
Badlands Wilderness Loop Badlands National Park 9.49 mi Hard
Badlands Pine Forest Trail Badlands National Park 2.62 mi Easy
Badlands Saddle Trail Badlands National Park 6.61 mi Hard
Wind Cave Rim Walk Wind Cave National Park 3.56 mi Easy
Wind Cave Wilderness Loop Wind Cave National Park 9.69 mi Hard
Wind Cave Pine Forest Trail Wind Cave National Park 3.06 mi Easy
Wind Cave Saddle Trail Wind Cave National Park 6.53 mi Hard
Wind Cave Old Mine Trail Wind Cave National Park 4.07 mi Moderate
Wind Cave Cabin Loop Wind Cave National Park 2.85 mi Easy
Wind Cave Creek Trail Wind Cave National Park 5 mi Easy
Wind Cave Bluff Trail Wind Cave National Park 4.45 mi Moderate
Wind Cave Headwaters Loop Wind Cave National Park 6.1 mi Moderate
Wind Cave Plateau Trail Wind Cave National Park 4.8 mi Moderate
Custer Rim Walk Custer State Park 3.39 mi Easy
Custer Wilderness Loop Custer State Park 9.67 mi Hard
Custer Pine Forest Trail Custer State Park 2.84 mi Easy
Custer Saddle Trail Custer State Park 6.98 mi Hard
Custer Old Mine Trail Custer State Park 3.86 mi Moderate