Jones Creek Trail

Jones Creek Trail is a roughly 4.5-mile one-way point-to-point walk through the South Unit badlands. From the west trailhead on Scenic Loop Drive, it follows Jones Creek upstream across open, rolling ground before ending at a second road trailhead. Allow about 2.5 to 3 hours for the one-way walk; the route is more about following a creek through the hills than reaching one summit or overlook.

The two trailheads sit on different parts of Scenic Loop Drive. A second car at the east end makes this a true one-way hike; without one, retracing the trail turns the outing into about 9 miles. No shuttle information was confirmed. Published mileage varies: some listings say 3.5 miles one way, but the mapped road-to-road route measures 4.46 miles. Plan around 4.5 miles rather than counting on the shorter figure.

Heading east, the route follows the north side of Jones Creek, drops down a steep bank, and crosses to the south side. After the Roundup and Talkington junctions, it crosses back north before reaching the east trailhead. Those two creek crossings are the main places to slow down. A hiker account describes muddy creek-side areas after heavy rain, so footing can take longer when the banks are wet.

Roundup and Talkington branch off Jones Creek. Stay on the creek corridor if this road-to-road traverse is your plan. The National Park Service also describes an 11.4-mile Jones/Lower Talkington/Lower Paddock loop, a separate outing that combines three trails; its distance does not describe Jones Creek alone. Dogs are not allowed on park trails.