Barnes Canyon Trail

Barnes Canyon Trail is a 4.9-mile point-to-point walk from Badger Clark Road east to the Airport Road/Wildlife Loop Road side of the park. It follows an old backcountry corridor along seasonal Dry Creek, through a mix of woods and open ground. The park rates it moderate and estimates four to five hours; leave room for wildlife stops and the full one-way distance.

This isn't a loop. The park map marks trailhead parking at both ends, so arrange a shuttle or leave a vehicle at the finish. Walking back makes it about 9.8 miles before any extra access walking. I'd start at Badger Clark Road and head east: a hiker's account describes more lookouts and an easier feel on that side, though the park rates the whole trail moderate.

Expect a broad old-road two-track rather than a narrow footpath, with wooded and open stretches. Dry Creek's flow is seasonal. One walk report mentions a small stream near mile two, but don't count on it for water. I didn't find a documented toilet, water source or food stop along the route, so bring what you'll need from the start.

The canyon takes its name from a 19th-century homestead once tucked inside it. Homesteaders, loggers and miners used these historic routes; during the late-1800s Black Hills mining boom, prospectors also looked for mica and feldspar in the canyon walls. The sources describe that history, but don't identify mine workings as a visitor stop.

The park calls the canyon a preferred bison corridor and notes sheltered wallows on the canyon floor. Keep an eye out for bison, elk, deer and bighorn sheep, but treat sightings as a possibility, not a promise. Stay at least 100 yards from bison and other wild animals. Pets are allowed on a leash no longer than 10 feet.