Medicine Root Trail
What to Expect
Safety Advisory
There is zero shade on this trail — in summer, surface temperatures on the exposed clay can exceed what the air temperature suggests by a wide margin, so avoid midday from June through August.
The trail markings through the formations can be faint; if the path seems to vanish on bare rock, look for small cairns or posts rather than forging your own route through fragile terrain.
Trail Details
Pro Tips
Start from the Pinnacles Overlook end of the Ben Reifel area — the trailhead parking lot is small but rarely full, and you'll have the loop mostly to yourself if you arrive before 9 AM.
Wear shoes with decent tread even though it's short — the clay sections get slick as soap after any rain, and the crumbly badlands soil will chew up sandals.
The most photogenic stretch is the northwest curve of the loop where eroded pillars frame the prairie beyond — golden hour light turns the banded layers from dull gray to deep orange and purple.