Badlands National Park
Managed by National Park Service
13,948 acres10 mi of trail
Castle TrailMedicine Root TrailNotch TrailCliff Shelf Nature Trail+1
Dogs usually limited
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
Photo: Jared Winkler · CC BY-SA 4.0–Not graded
Outdoors in Interior Township
More than half of Interior Township’s land is conserved: 60%
60% of Interior Township’s land is conserved, about 38,525 acres. The biggest trail networks: Badlands National Park (10 mi), Buffalo Gap National Grassland (1 mi). 13,724 acres are parks and preserves, 304,988 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
60%
38,525 acres · of 100.8 sq mi of land
Trails
12 mi
0.1 per sq mi of land
Park land
13,724 ac
304,988 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
19%
of residents within ½ mile
Highest peak
2,487 ft
Flat Top Butte
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 Badlands National Park, with 10 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Buffalo Gap National Grassland
Managed by United States Forest Service
24,277 acres1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Who protects it
38,525 conserved acres
60% of Interior Township’s land. Who manages Interior Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
U.S. Forest Service24,261 ac
National Park Service13,653 ac
State land board648 ac
National Grassland · 24,261 acNational Park · 13,653 acState Resource Management Area · 648 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Gap National Grassland National Grassland | U.S. Forest Service | 24,261 | Open |
| Badlands National Park National Park | National Park Service | 13,653 | Open |
| Sd Public Land State Resource Management Area | State land board | 648 | Open |
Things to do
14 places to go in Interior Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Scenic views in Interior Township
Big Badlands OverlookIn Badlands National Park
DirectionsDoorIn Badlands National Park
DirectionsWindowIn Badlands National Park
DirectionsPlus 8 scenic views without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Peaks in Interior Township
Flat Top Butte2,487 ft elevation · In Buffalo Gap National Grassland
DirectionsSchool Section Butte2,434 ft elevation
DirectionsCampgrounds in Interior Township
Cedar Pass CampgroundFee · In Badlands National Park
DirectionsTrails & water
8 named trails and 1 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Horses · 2.1 miUnpaved · 3.0 mi
Castle Trail5.1 mi
Medicine Root Trail2.1 mi
Notch Trail0.6 mi
Cliff Shelf Nature Trail0.4 mi
Door Trail0.4 mi
Saddle Pass Trail0.3 mi
Fossil Exhibit Trail0.2 mi
Window Trail0.2 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
History along the way
History →1 place on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 1 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Prairie HomesteadDistrict · listed 1974
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Interior 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 | 70 | 80 | 89 | 88 | 78 | 62 | 48 | 37 |
| Rain (in) | 0.4 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 2.2 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 2.3 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
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 Interior Township →
Next door
Interior Township and its neighbors
Interior Township has the most mapped trails of the 3 towns around it. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interior Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Castle Butte Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Weta 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 Interior Township
Where can I hike in Interior Township?
The longest trail networks: Badlands National Park, 10 miles; Buffalo Gap National Grassland, 1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Interior Township’s trails?
Badlands National Park 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 Interior Township?
178,694 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Interior Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 38,699 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Interior 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 →