Length
Elevation Gain
Highest Point
This trail on Badger Mountain, built by Friends of Badger Mountain and local hardworking volunteers, was completed less than a year after the first shovelful of dirt flew when they broke ground on the project. Nearly 1000 yards of dirt were excavated to make this trail a reality, and over 290 tons of gravel were used for the tread surface.
The majority of the Langdon Trail is in the Badger Mountain Centennial Preserve, a Benton County park. However, a 0.33-mile segment crosses a section of private property owned by the orchard; it was the generous spirit of the landowner that allowed the trail to be built at this location. Please respect their wishes, and do not drop to the orchard or use their roads unless it is an emergency.
The trail is 4 feet wide and just shy of 2.5 miles long. It has nearly the same elevation gain from both ends, but don’t let this fool you. There is about 500 feet of elevation gain and loss, but most of that is in gentle rises and falls. Another worthy note is that there are no other trail connections along the trail; once you start it you can either continue to the other end or turn around and retrace your route back.
Look for coyote dens along the way, as there are many and a few of them are active. The coyotes themselves are not an unusual site, and you might even see pups playing on the hillside.
Access the Langdon Trail can be found at its junction with the Skyline Trail on the west end and the Skyline Trail and Sagebrush Trail on the east end.
To get to the west end of the Langdon Trail, start on the Skyline Trail from the Westgate parking lot. Take the Skyline Trail for half a mile to the junction, turning right to start on the Langdon Trail. If you get to the service road near the large house, you have passed it.
The trail follows an old road for a few hundred feet before it turns uphill and starts traversing the hillside. It crosses through alternating sections of open grasslands and stands of sagebrush with occasional gullies.
The trail ends at the Triple Junction on the east side of Badger Mountain just after crossing the service road a little past the 2.25 mile marker. From here, you can return to the start at the Westgate parking lot via the Langdon or Skyline Trails (turn left). Either way will be about a 6 mile total round trip with 1300 feet of elevation gain and loss.
Another option is to continue straight ahead about 1 mile using the Sagebrush Trail to get down to Trailhead Park. See the Sagebrush Trail description for details.
A 6.7 mile loop with 1300 feet elevation gain is available using the Langdon Trail from Trailhead Park. Take the Canyon Trail to the summit then head west on the Skyline Trail to the junction with the Langdon Trail.
Follow the Langdon Trail to the Triple Junction and take the Sagebrush Trail back to Trailhead Park. Note that the Canyon Trail is open to hikers only so mountain bikes and horses would have to use the Sagebrush trail twice.
Seasonal Note: As with all the other trails in the Badger and Candy Mountain system, there are no services, such as restrooms or water, available once you leave the parking lots. There is no shade, so in the summer, it is best if you come in the mornings or evening when it is cooler. Because it is on south facing slopes when there is snow, it will be free of it before the other trails. The spring flowers and the apple trees in the orchard will also be in bloom earlier.
Trailhead
