Badlands Wilderness
Managed by National Park Service
29,906 acres11.9 mi of trail
Dogs usually limited
No trailhead mapped yet
Photo: Idawriter · CC BY-SA 3.0–Not graded
Outdoors in Imlay Township
More than half of Imlay Township’s land is conserved: 85%
85% of Imlay Township’s land is conserved, about 60,412 acres. The biggest trail networks: Badlands Wilderness (11.9 mi), Buffalo Gap National Grassland (10.4 mi), Badlands National Park (0.7 mi). 1,668 acres are parks and preserves, 57,532 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
85%
60,412 acres · of 110.4 sq mi of land
Trails
28 mi
0.3 per sq mi of land
Park land
1,668 ac
57,532 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
under 1%
of residents within ½ mile
Lakes & rivers
2
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 Badlands Wilderness, with 11.9 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Who protects it
60,412 conserved acres
85% of Imlay Township’s land. Who manages Imlay Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
National Park Service31,564 ac
U.S. Forest Service24,847 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits9,767 ac
National Park · 31,564 acNational Grassland · 24,847 acConservation Easement · 8,141 acPrivate Conservation · 1,626 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 2,375 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 4 of 12 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Badlands National Park National Park | National Park Service | 31,564 | Open |
| Buffalo Gap National Grassland National Grassland | U.S. Forest Service | 24,847 | Open |
| Badlands National Park Complex Fee Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 1,626 | Closed |
Things to do
3 places to go in Imlay Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Scenic views in Imlay Township
Badlands Wilderness OverlookIn Badlands National Park
DirectionsRobert Prairie Dog TownIn Badlands National Park
DirectionsSage Creek Basin OverlookIn Badlands National Park
DirectionsTrails & water
2 lakes & rivers
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
When to get out
September is the best month for walking in Imlay 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 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.7 | 15.4 | 15.1 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.6 | 8.9 |
| High (°F) | 35 | 38 | 49 | 58 | 68 | 79 | 88 | 87 | 78 | 62 | 48 | 37 |
| Rain (in) | 0.4 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 2.2 | 3.4 | 3.2 | 2.3 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 0.4 |
January is the driest month (0.4 in) and July the warmest (highs of 88 °F). 3.4 inches fall in May, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 88 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Imlay Township →
Next door
Imlay 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Imlay 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 | ||||
| Scenic Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Crooked Creek 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 Imlay Township
Where can I hike in Imlay Township?
The longest trail networks: Badlands Wilderness, 11.9 miles; Buffalo Gap National Grassland, 10.4 miles; Badlands National Park, 0.7 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Imlay Township’s trails?
Badlands Wilderness and Buffalo Gap National Grassland don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Imlay Township?
163,759 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Imlay Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 26,648 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Imlay 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 →