Buffalo Gap National Grassland
Managed by United States Forest Service
8,703 acres1.1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
–Not graded
Outdoors in Castle Butte Township
More than half of Castle Butte Township’s land is conserved: 63%
63% of Castle Butte Township’s land is conserved, about 20,582 acres. The biggest trail networks: Buffalo Gap National Grassland (1.1 mi). 5,682 acres are parks and preserves, 183,274 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
63%
20,582 acres · of 51.0 sq mi of land
Trails
2.8 mi
0.1 per sq mi of land
Park land
5,682 ac
183,274 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
under 1%
of residents within ½ mile
Highest peak
2,543 ft
The Castle
Lakes & rivers
1
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Buffalo Gap National Grassland, with 1.1 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Badlands National Park
Managed by National Park Service
11,902 acres0.2 mi of trail
Dogs usually limited
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Badlands Wilderness
Managed by National Park Service
6,258 acres0.1 mi of trail
Dogs usually limited
Directionsto the parking lot
Who protects it
20,582 conserved acres
63% of Castle Butte Township’s land. Who manages Castle Butte Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
National Park Service11,880 ac
U.S. Forest Service8,703 ac
National Park · 11,880 acNational Grassland · 8,703 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Badlands National Park National Park | National Park Service | 11,880 | Open |
| Buffalo Gap National Grassland National Grassland | U.S. Forest Service | 8,703 | Open |
Things to do
7 places to go in Castle Butte Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Scenic views in Castle Butte Township
Bigfoot Pass OverlookIn Badlands National Park
DirectionsBurns Basin OverlookIn Badlands National Park
DirectionsPanorama PointIn Badlands Wilderness
DirectionsPrairie Wind OverlookIn Badlands National Park
DirectionsPrairie Wind OverlookIn Badlands National Park
DirectionsWhite River Valley OverlookIn Badlands National Park
DirectionsPeaks in Castle Butte Township
The Castle2,543 ft elevation · In Badlands National Park
DirectionsTrails & water
1 lakes & rivers
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
When to get out
The best walking months in Castle Butte Township: April and September
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.3 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.7 | 15.4 | 15.1 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.6 | 8.9 |
| High (°F) | 35 | 39 | 50 | 59 | 69 | 80 | 89 | 88 | 78 | 62 | 48 | 37 |
| Rain (in) | 0.4 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 2.2 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 2.2 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 0.4 |
January is the driest month (0.4 in) and July the warmest (highs of 89 °F). 3.4 inches fall in May, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 89 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Castle Butte Township →
Next door
Castle Butte Township and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castle Butte Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Interior Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Conata Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Flat Butte Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Castle Butte Township
Where can I hike in Castle Butte Township?
The longest trail networks: Buffalo Gap National Grassland, 1.1 miles; Badlands National Park, 0.2 miles; Badlands Wilderness, 0.1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Castle Butte Township’s trails?
Buffalo Gap National Grassland and Badlands National Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Castle Butte Township?
159,173 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Castle Butte Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 14,425 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Castle Butte Township neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →