Castle Trail in Badlands National Park, South Dakota, USA

Castle Trail in Badlands National Park, South Dakota, USA

Spires of rock and mudstone dot the horizon along Castle Trail in this image from South Dakota’s Badlands National Park in the Midwestern region of the United States. For a place called ‘badlands’, this park outdoes itself with stunning natural features – and important ties to the past. It’s known to paleontologists as a fossil-rich destination, with discoveries here providing us with a tiny window into life some 33 million years ago. The rugged beauty of the Badlands attracts visitors from around the world and offers a range of designated hiking trails, including Castle Trail, which is the longest in the park.