Bisti Badlands: an enchanting Guide to New Mexico’s Eroded Wonders

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The Bisti Badlands are a must-visit for nature lovers and photographers to experience unparalleled, never-ending moonscapes filled with unique rock formations and untouched desert. 

The Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness Area is a vast 45,000 acre expanse of badlands in the Four Corners Region of New Mexico and is surrounded by Navajo Territory. Badlands are characterized by dry terrain of sandstone, clay, and shale that has been eroded to create otherworldly hoodoos, rock shaped like pinnacles, spires, caps, and other bizarre shapes. 

1. Understanding the Bisti Badlands

Though the desert seems dry and barren, the Bisti Badlands was once the swamps near the Cretaceous shoreline. The lands tell the story of the receding water and the extinction of dinosaurs. 

In Navajo language, the name Bisti means “a large area of shale hills,” and De-Na-Zin means “cranes.” 

In 1977, the Bisti Beast was found by Paul Sealy. The Bisit Beast is an early relative of the T-rex and is a rare fossil which has opened doors to discovering more about early dinosaurs. However, the Bisti Beast is not the only fossil to be found in the Badlands. Scientists have countless other fossils including duck-billed dinosaur Parasaurolophus, a Pentaceratops, a large sauropod named Alamosaurus, turtles, fish, crocodiles, and other species. 

2. Planning Your Visit

The New Mexico desert is hot and unforgiving. The vast, repetitive landscape and lack of trails can also cause confusion if you are not probably equipped. 

We made a lot of mistakes in the book. After visiting Canyonlands we drove out during the Badlands and arrived late at night. We had also read that the road to the BLM campsite was unpaved and may require a 4WD, which we do not have in our little Ford Escape car. 

Best Time to Visit

We made the rookie mistake of visiting in early June. If you decide to take this route, I highly recommend starting EARLY during the cool desert mornings. The temperatures begin to heat up quite drastically around 10AM. We got out onto the trail around 10:30 AM, and to boot, my partner had been battling a nasty cold. Ultimately we decided to turn around as we did not have enough water, food, or emergency gear. 

The best time to visit is during the fall. Spring tends to be quite windy which can cause sandstorms. While winter, to some peoples’ surprise, is cold because the Badlands sit at 6,300 feet!

Getting There

Rolling down a dirt road that the internet suggested we might need a 4WD to complete at 10:30PM was definitely not our smartest move. But, I am happy to report that you do not need a 4WD! The concern is that when it rains, the road becomes extremely muddy, so make sure to check the weather and have a back up plan if needed. 

The closest city is Farmington, New Mexico. At Farmington, you’ll drive 36 miles down NM 371 and turn left (east) on Road 7297. The road is marked with cones that say BLM, and further up the road is a classic trailhead sign saying Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness Area. You made it!

While a car will be required to reach the Badlands, if you want more guidance for the best photography locations or hiking landmarks, Navajo Tours runs guided and photography tours! Additionally, the Farmington Museum & Visitor Center has a boundary map with GPS coordinates to Bisti and key formations. 

3. What to See and Do

Key Attractions and Landmarks

All Trails has 3 routes and maps on the app. 

    • Bisti Wings Trail (2.8 miles)
        • We did not do the Bisti Wings trail. In order to get to the Wings, you will need to drive out of the main parking lot and head back towards 371. Head North until you reach Road 7295. At the fork, take a right. Alternatively, it appeas you can hike 1.2 miles from the main Bisti parking lot to get to the Wings. WATCH ALL TRAILS CLOSELY!

The main attractions along the Bisti Wash Loop and Badlands trail are the famous Cracked Eggs, Chocolate Hoodoos, Flat Top, Petrified Wood, Alien Woman and Eagles Nest. 

Photography Tips

  • If you are visiting the Badlands for photography, the best time is right before sunset or sunrise according to Firefall Photography.
  • Firefall Photography also has some great tips for shooting different landmarks!

4. Safety and Preparation

Weather Considerations

    • Pack 1/2L of water per 1 hour that you anticipate hiking. 

    • Check the weather! Even though it is the desert, if there are storms predicted there is no place to take shelter as the landscape is very exposed.

Navigation and Hiking

    • There is an All Trails trail that takes you to a few different landmarks. Make sure to check constantly that you are on track as it is extremely easy to wander off trail. 

    • If you have a GPS such as the Garmin InReach, start a live sharing of your location with someone who is available to track you. 

    • Always tell someone where you’re going and a rough ballpark for when you will be back. This is especially important when doing unmarked trails. 

    • Bring a battery pack! Running All Trails all day in extreme heat will kill your phone if you aren’t careful. 

Leave No Trace Principles

As always, follow the 7 Leave No Trace Principles: 

1. Plan Ahead & Prepare

2. Travel & Camp on Durable Surfaces 

3. Dispose of Waste Properly

4. Leave What you Find

5. Minimize Campfire Impacts 

6. Respect Wildlife

7. Be Considerate of Others 

5. Additional Activities

Nearby Attractions

While we were researching the Bisti Badlands, we stumbled across the Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah Wilderness. You might recognize the iconic Alien Throne (pictured below). Unfortunately we did not plan this into the road trip as we had the days planned out prior. However, we will absolutely be coming back to the Bisti Badlands, when it is not so hot and neither of us are unwell, and will definitely be making a trip to the Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah Wilderness!

Conclusion

Though our initial research made us extremely hesitant to visit the Bisti Badlands, our experience there was phenomenal. There is little light pollution and the stars are insane. Additionally, the unique landscape was one I had never experienced before. 

Though the Badlands may seem remote and daunting to visit, it is truly an extraordinary must-see landscape! 

In the future, we’ll be following the advice I provided in this article, a lesson from our mistakes. 

Let me know if you have any more questions, if you are planning, or have planned a trip to the Bisti Badlands in the comments! 

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