Bison Trail
A remote one-way trail of roughly three miles links Hudson-Meng’s bison bonebed with Toadstool Geologic Park.
Artwork inspired by Robert F. Gilder
The Bison Trail joins two sites that operate on different clocks: an early-Holocene *Bison antiquus* bonebed and much older Oligocene badlands. Walking between them makes ecological transition and physical distance part of the interpretation rather than treating each as a roadside exhibit.
Because the route is point-to-point, hikers must arrange a return, walk six miles round trip, or use two vehicles where permitted. There is little shade or water, roads are remote, and wet conditions can make access difficult; this is a planned excursion, not an incidental connector.
- Distance
- About 3 miles one way
- Connects
- Hudson-Meng and Toadstool
- Exposure
- Remote, open and minimally serviced
Quick guide
- Route question
- About 3 miles one way ↔ Hudson-Meng and Toadstool
- Final evidence
- Notice grazing structure, trails, dung, and vegetation beyond the animals themselves.
Quick guide
- Route
- Confirm the named park loop and whether bison occupy an adjacent enclosure.
- Distance
- Keep fences and barriers between visitors and large animals at all times.
- Prairie
- Notice grazing structure, trails, dung, and vegetation beyond the animals themselves.
- Return
- Plan the climb and weather for both directions before extending the loop.
Good to know
This route links an early-Holocene bison bonebed with much older Oligocene badlands, turning six exposed miles into a walk between radically different periods of deep time.
Notice these
- About 3 miles one way
- Hudson-Meng and Toadstool
- Remote, open and minimally serviced