North Dakota · National Park trail

Coal Vein Trail Post 9: Clinker

in North Dakota

Feel the red rock next to the post. It is locally called scoria, but its true name is clinker. Clinker is created when a burning coal seam bakes the rock layer above it. Baking rock is like putting clay into a kiln to make pottery - the rock hardens as it bakes.

Because clinker is one of the hardest rocks in the badlands, it functions as a caprock atop many buttes.

States: North Dakota
Trail type: National Park trail
Centroid coords: 46.9231°, -103.3987°

About Theodore Roosevelt National Park

National Park

This trail is inside Theodore Roosevelt National Park, a national park managed by the U.S. National Park Service. Conditions, road status, trail closures, and reservation requirements are published on the park's NPS page — check it before driving in, especially in winter or during major weather events.

Entrance fee: $30 per vehicle (verify current rate on the park page). An America the Beautiful annual pass ($80) covers entrance to all NPS units.

Official NPS trail page: https://www.nps.gov/places/coal-vein-trail-post-9-clinker.htm

Park homepage: https://www.nps.gov/thro/index.htm

Plan your hike

Practical notes

Maps + permits: long-distance trails like this often require permits for through-hiking, backcountry camping, or specific sections (especially in National Parks). Check with the maintaining organisation listed above and the relevant land manager before booking travel.

Water + supplies: water sources vary seasonally on most U.S. trails. Carry a filter and consult current trail-condition reports — through-hiker journals (PCT-L, AT Reddit, etc.) and the maintaining organisation publish regular updates.

When to go: hiking seasons vary widely with elevation, latitude, and snowpack. Through-hikers traditionally start the AT in March-April (Springer northbound) and the PCT in late April (Campo northbound). High-elevation western trails (CDT, JMT, Wonderland) generally aren't passable until July.

If you've hiked Coal Vein Trail Post 9: Clinker and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.