Newton Hills State Park
Managed by South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, and Parks
950 acres2.8 mi of trail
Blue-Diamond Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
–Not graded
Outdoors in Highland Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in Highland Township
The biggest trail networks: Newton Hills State Park (2.8 mi). 5% of Highland Township’s land is conserved, about 1,214 acres. 1,071 acres are parks and preserves, 2,754 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
5%
1,214 acres · of 36.5 sq mi of land
Trails
3.6 mi
0.1 per sq mi of land
Park land
1,071 ac
2,754 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
17%
of residents within ½ mile
Lakes & rivers
1
1 boat launch
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 Newton Hills State Park, with 2.8 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Pattee Creek Game Production Area
Park
65 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
McKee Game Production Area
Park
64 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Who protects it
1,214 conserved acres
5% of Highland Township’s land. Who manages Highland Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State parks936 ac
State fish & wildlife279 ac
State Recreation Area · 936 acState Conservation Area · 279 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newton Hills State Recreation Area | State parks | 936 | Open |
| Johnson State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 156 | Restricted |
| Pattee Creek State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 62 | Restricted |
| Mckee State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 61 | Restricted |
Things to do
5 places to go in Highland Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Playgrounds in Highland Township
4 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in Highland Township
1 boat launch without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Trails & water
2 named trails and 1 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Blue-Diamond Trail0.8 mi
Deer Run Trail0.2 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
0.0 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Courts & fields
2Beach volleyball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
When to get out
The walking year in Highland Township
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 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.7 | 15.4 | 15.1 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.6 | 9.0 |
| High (°F) | 26 | 31 | 44 | 58 | 70 | 80 | 84 | 81 | 74 | 60 | 44 | 30 |
| Rain (in) | 0.6 | 0.9 | 1.6 | 3.0 | 4.1 | 4.7 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.2 | 2.4 | 1.3 | 0.9 |
January is the driest month (0.6 in) and July the warmest (highs of 84 °F). 4.7 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Highland Township →
Next door
Highland Township and its neighbors
Highland Township has the most mapped trails of the 5 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Highland Township3.6 miCanton Township1.9 miLincoln Township1.9 miNorway Township1.0 miFairview Township0.4 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highland Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Canton Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Fairview Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Norway Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Lincoln 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 Highland Township
Where can I hike in Highland Township?
The longest trail networks: Newton Hills State Park, 2.8 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Highland Township’s trails?
Newton Hills State Park and Pattee Creek Game Production Area don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Highland Township?
4,573 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Highland Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,071 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Highland 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 →