Upper Paddock/Talkington Loop

This is a full-day affair through some of Theodore Roosevelt's most remote and least-visited badlands terrain. You'll start by dropping into the Paddock Creek drainage, where the trail winds through cottonwood bottoms before climbing onto exposed ridgelines with views that stretch to the horizon in every direction. The route connects three trails into one grand loop, threading through eroded clay buttes, grassy plateaus, and creek crossings that can range from bone-dry to ankle-deep depending on recent rain. The optional Painted Canyon extension adds serious mileage but rewards you with some of the most dramatic layered formations in the entire park. Expect long stretches with no shade, no other hikers, and no cell service. This is a trail for people who want to feel genuinely alone in the landscape — the kind of hike where you might see more bison than people.