Bisti Badlands: Complete Guide to Hiking & Visiting in New Mexico
Updated September 2026, Bisti Badlands: Complete Guide to Hiking & Visiting in New Mexico was originally published in April 2025
The Bisti Badlands in New Mexico are one of the strangest landscapes in the American Southwest. Part of the larger Bisti Badlands/De-Na-Zin Wilderness, this remote stretch of northwestern New Mexico is filled with hoodoos, arches, petrified wood, fossil-bearing rocks, and eroded badlands that look more like an alien planet than the high desert.
I visited Bisti Badlands, we spent our time exploring the main Bisti area, Hunter Wash, and De-Na-Zin Wilderness. There are no marked hiking trails through most of the wilderness, and the formations are scattered across a huge, undeveloped landscape, so knowing where to go and having offline navigation are essential.
In this Bisti Badlands travel guide, I’ll cover how to get there, the best things to see, the main hiking routes, where to camp, what to bring, and everything you need to know before visiting this remote corner of New Mexico.
I happened to be back in the Denver area for a work contract, I was searching for some cool places for us to explore over an extended Labor Day weekend. I had wanted to get out to the southwest part of Colorado since I had yet to explore the area with Great Sand Dunes National Park being the first stop.
A couple of drinks and staring at maps later, I landed on the alien landscapes of Bisti Badlands in northern New Mexico with a stop at Mesa Verde National Park en route. The blueprint was laid. My first time back in New Mexico after my 2016 visit that brought me to explore the mindblowing White Sands National Park.
Tucked away in the high desert of the Four Corners region, trekking around the Bisti Badlands is akin to taking a wander into a labyrinth of eroded sandstone, siltstone, and shale, sculpted over millions of years into bizarre, almost gravity-defying shapes.
Beyond its eerie beauty, Bisti holds a rich geological and paleontological history. Fossilized logs and dinosaur remains, including the discovery of the massive Bisti Beast (a distant cousin of the T. rex) hint at a prehistoric world that once thrived here.
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Bisti Badlands at a Glance
| Where is Bisti Badlands? | Northwestern New Mexico, about 40 miles south of Farmington |
| Nearest city | Farmington |
| Managed by | Bureau of Land Management |
| Entrance fee | Free |
| Best time to visit | Spring and fall |
| Trails | Mostly unmarked routes |
| Cell service | Minimal to nonexistent |
| Water | None, bring your own |
| Camping | Primitive dispersed camping permitted |
| Main access | Bisti Trailhead |
| Other access | De-Na-Zin Trailhead and northern Bisti access |
| Time needed | Half day to a full day |
What Are the Bisti Badlands & De-Na-Zin Wilderness?
The Bisti Badlands and De-Na-Zin Wilderness are two adjoining sections of a roughly 45,000-acre wilderness in northwestern New Mexico managed by the Bureau of Land Management. Bisti forms the western section, while De-Na-Zin lies farther east. Together they protect one of the most unusual badlands landscapes in the Four Corners region.
The landscape was formed from layers of sandstone, shale, mudstone, coal, and silt deposited during the Late Cretaceous. Over millions of years, erosion carved those layers into hoodoos, arches, ridges, washes, and other strange formations. Petrified wood and fossils are also found throughout the wilderness.
The name Bisti comes from the Navajo word Bistahí, meaning “among the adobe formations,” while De-Na-Zin refers to the cranes depicted in ancient petroglyphs found in the area.
Best Time to Visit Bisti Badlands
The best time to visit Bisti Badlands is spring or fall, when temperatures are generally more comfortable for hiking. Bisti is open year-round, but summer afternoons can be brutally hot because there is very little shade, while winter brings cold temperatures and potentially difficult road conditions.
Early morning and late afternoon are my favorite times to explore. The low sun brings out the textures of the hoodoos and badlands, and the cooler temperatures make wandering around the exposed landscape much more pleasant.
How to Get to the Bisti Badlands
Bisti Badlands and De-Na-Zin Wilderness are about 40 miles south of Farmington, New Mexico. The main access point for the western side of the area is from the Bisti Badlands Trailhead. The less visited eastern side of the area is reached from the De-Na-Zin Acess Lot.
This is a fairly remote area, so stock up on water, food, and gas in Farmington or Bloomfield before heading out. There is little to no phone signal in and around Bisti/De-Na-Zin.
How to Get to the (Main) Bisti Parking Lot
45 minutes drive from Farmington
From Farmington, head south on the NM-371 S for about 36 miles. Next, turn to the northeast (left) onto County Road 7297. After nearly two miles the road will T off, and you will turn north (left) onto Indian Service Route 7000/County Road 7290. After about one mile, the Bisti Parking Lot & Trailhead will be on the right side.
How to Get to the North Bisti (Hunter Wash Cristi) Access
50 minutes drive from Farmington
Follow the same route from Farmington to the Bisti Badlands Trailhead but continue another 1.7 miles north to reach the Hunter Wash Cristi Access.
You will see a fence there- follow it to the south where you will see a clear opening into the northern part of the Bisti Badlands (the fenced-off area is private land FYI).
How to Get to the De-Na-Zin Parking Lot
60 minutes drive from Farmington
From Farmington or Bloomfield find your way to the US-550 S and stay on it for almost 16 miles. Next, you will turn to the southwest (right) onto Route 7023. Route 7023 is a dirt road that you will follow for roughly 11 miles before you reach the De-Na-Zin Parking Lot.
Best Things to See in Bisti Badlands
There are no marked trails through most of the Bisti Badlands, so visiting the formations is more like navigating a giant natural maze than following a conventional hiking trail. Download an offline GPS, such as Organic Maps, before leaving the trailhead. The formations below are some of the most interesting landmarks to look for.
Chocolate Hoodoos
📍36.25946, -108.23839
Walking in from the main Bisti Badlands Trailhead, the Chocolate Hoodoos are a short detour south of the Bisti Wash. You’ll know you’ve reached them once you find yourself meandering through reddish-brown-topped hoodoos.
Flat Top Arch
📍36.26627, -108.23248
Back on the main thoroughfare along the Bisti Wash as you head toward the Alien Egg Hatchery, you’ll spot the glaringly white Flat Top Arch.
The Alien Egg Hatchery (Cracked Eggs)
📍36.26742, -108.22369
The Cracked Eggs, also known as the Alien Egg Hatchery, are among the most recognizable formations in Bisti Badlands. Rounded concretions scattered across the ground look remarkably like giant eggs that have cracked open, giving this section of the wilderness its wonderfully weird nickname.
The formations are particularly photogenic around sunrise and sunset, when low-angle light emphasizes the textures and shadows across the badlands.
Petrified Logs & Petrified Cove
📍36.26799, -108.21996 & ?36.26718, -108.22005
One of the coolest things about Bisti? The petrified wood and fossils hidden throughout the badlands. Keep an eye out for massive, ancient logs turned to stone, some of which still have bark-like textures. If you’re lucky, you might even spot the remains of prehistoric creatures embedded in the rock.
You can find petrified logs strewn about the badlands, however, there is a massive petrified log just due east of the Alien Egg Hatchery. Continue beyond the log and into the Petrified Cove to spot more logs and hoodoos.
Eagle’s Nest
📍36.26893, -108.21250
The furthest east of the Bisti Badlands circuit from the main Bisti Trailhead is the Eagle’s Next. It’s a large ridge-like hoodoo, that atop it the rock formation looks like an eagle looking out from her nest.
The Rock Garden
📍36.27009, -108.22559
The Rock Garden features hundreds of tiny hoodoos, rounded rocks, and stones sculpted into wild shapes. Most of these quirky formations stand less than a foot tall.
You’ll find the Rock Garden just 0.25 miles north of the Cracked Eggs.
Valley of Bones, Alien Woman, & the Elegant Hoodoo
📍36.27077, -108.22648
Just slightly north of the Bisti Rock Garden, you’ll come across the scattering of rocks that comprise the Valley of Bones.
In the same vicinity, keep a lookout for the Alien Woman Hoodoo. Just a hair north from where you’ll find the Alien Woman, you will spot the rather smooth-looking Elegant Hoodoo.
Two Windows
📍36.27283, -108.22424
The Two Windows are a pair of small, delicate arches that you can spot when walking north across Bisti Wash from the Cracked Eggs.
Vanilla Hoodoos
📍36.27592, -108.22975
Located about halfway between the Two Windows and the Manta Ray, you’ll find a cluster of bright white, known as the Vanilla Hoodoos. You would pass by them if you are connecting the Bisti Wash and Hunter Wash Cristi trails.
Must-See Sites in Hunter Wash Cristi (Bisti Badlands North)
The Stone Wings
📍36.27889, -108.23750
The Stone Wings are some of the most Instagram-worthy formations in the area. These elongated, wind-carved rock slabs defy gravity in the best way.
Conversing Hoodoos
📍36.28116, -108.23585
These tall, elegant hoodoos look like ancient rock sages locked in conversation. You’ll find the Conversing Hoodoos along the southern edge of Hunter Wash—just a short, quarter-mile trek from the Stone Wings.
Unfortunately, at the time of my visit (September 2024) only one of the Conversing Hoodoos remained, so I guess he’s out there talking to himself now. I could not find any updated articles online or social media posts detailing when it may have collapsed or been damaged.
Manta Ray
📍36.27628, -108.23620
The Manta Ray Hoodoo is surrounded by a chaotic jumble of rocks and hoodoos, but the top of the hoodoo does resemble a manta ray. The Manta Ray is located between the Stone Wings and the Rock Garden, making it a good detour for those that will combine the sites located on the main Bisti Badlands Trail with the sites on the Hunter Wash Cristi Trail to the north.
Must-See Sites in De-Na-Zin Wilderness
Collared Hoodoo
📍36.31466, -108.01417
The Collared Hoodoo is a hoodoo on top of a hoodoo, like nature got a little carried away with the layering process. It’s located below the De-Na-Zin Wash’s south rim.
A good plan is to visit the Collared Hoodoo on the way to the De-Na-Zin Arch as it is located on the south rim of De-Na-Zin Wash on the way from the De-Na-Zin parking area.
De-Na-Zin Arch
📍36.31303, -108.01855
The De-Na-Zin Arch sits along the south rim of De-Na-Zin Wash, about one mile from the De-Na-Zin parking area. This arch features an eight-foot-wide opening that perfectly frames the surrounding badlands.
Right Angle Arch
📍36.31895, -108.01802
Hidden on the north rim of De-Na-Zin Wash, about 1.5 miles from the De-Na-Zin parking lot, sits the Right Angle Arch.
Hiking in the Bisti Badlands & De-Na-Zin Wilderness
Hiking Bisti Badlands is more like cross-country exploration than following a traditional trail. There are no marked trails through much of the wilderness, and visitors are free to explore off-trail. Routes cross clay hills, sandy washes, sandstone formations, and uneven terrain, so good navigation skills are more important here than trail-following ability
Case and point, when we arrived at the De-Na-Zin Access maybe an hour before sunset, we stopped to make sandwiches before heading out. There was a man who came through the gate back to the parking lot as we got out of the car who had lost his wife out there. She and the dog had split from him to come back to the car earlier and got lost.
He was panicking, we told him we were about to head out there and that we would search for her. A couple of minutes later, she popped up on the horizon with their dog. She had taken a wrong turn and eventually realized it and turned back. Her husband lost his mind screaming his head off at her. Needless to say, it was awkward, so have a GPS or map handy so you don’t risk getting lost out there and having to be berated by an angry husband or burning to a crisp (or worse) out there because you couldn’t find your way back.
Do bring plenty of water with you as there is no water source and it is quite hot out here spring, summer, and fall. Bringing snacks is also wise.
As always, pack everything you bring in back out with you. There are no facilities beyond the parking lots (and even then, the main Bisti Badlands Trailhead is the only one with a toilet, covered seating, or trash bins).
How Difficult Is Hiking Bisti Badlands?
Bisti Badlands is not particularly strenuous in terms of elevation gain, but navigation and exposure are the real challenges. The terrain is generally rolling rather than mountainous, but there are no reliable trail markers, little shade, no water, and plenty of uneven clay and rock surfaces.
The terrain is largely trail-less, with uneven clay and rock surfaces, unmarked routes, and occasional steep slopes.
If you’re comfortable hiking cross-country and navigating with an offline GPS map, Bisti is very manageable. If you’re expecting a conventional marked hiking trail, it’s a completely different experience.
Bisti Badlands Trailhead
Destinations Along the Bisti Badlands Trail
- Chocolate Hoodoos
- Flat Top Arch
- Cracked Eggs
- Petrified Wood & Cove
- Eagle’s Nest
- Bisti Rock Garden
- Valley of Bones, Alien Woman & Elegant Hoodoo
This is the main trailhead that the majority of visitors to the Bisti Badlands will use. That said, even on a holiday weekend it was pretty quiet with only about four other vehicles in the trailhead parking lot.
The route more or less follows the course of the Bisti Wash to the east. The first site you’ll visit if taking on the loop counter-clockwise will be the Chocolate Hoodoos, which will require you to make a jaunt to the south to see.
From the Chocolate Hoodoos, continue back up toward the main wash and continue east to pass by the Flat Top Arch en route to the Alien Egg Hatchery’s Cracked Eggs and eventually to the Petrified Wood and Cove.
Next, continue to the furthest point east on the loop at the Eagle Nest, and from here, the route will continue back west toward the remains of the now-collapsed Bisti Arch. At this point, you’ll veer north to reach the Rock Garden, before continuing to the Valley of Bones where you will also see the Alien Woman and Elegant Hoodoo.
Continue back toward the main wash and back to the main Bisti parking lot.
Hunter Wash Cristi Trail
Destinations Along the Hunter Wash Trail
- Conversing Hoodoos
- Stone Wings
- Manta Ray
The Hunter Cristi Wash/North Bisti route starts along a fence demarcating the privately owned section of the badlands. If walking along the fence, you should eventually reach an entrance into the Bisti Badlands. Continue from here to the east for some time to eventually see the remains of the one Conversing Hoodoo still standing.
From the hoodoo, go up and over or around the ridge and get back on route to eventually hit the famous Stone Wings, and from there, it’s only a short jaunt to the Manta Ray.
From Manta Ray, make way back up to the main wash and back to the lot.
De-Na-Zin Access
Destinations Along the De-Na-Zin Access
- Collared Hoodoo
- De-Na-Zin Arch
- Right Angle Arch
Starting from the De-Na-Zin Wilderness Access lot, head north first and then eventually to the west, if doing the route clockwise. Eventually, the Collared Hoodoo up on the edge of a ridge should come into view.
Beyond the Collared Hoodoo to the west, you will reach the De-Na-Zin Arch. From here, the route till continue into the wash after a bit of a scramble and eventually curve around to reach the Right Angle Arch. After this, the route, circled back around to follow the sandy trail back to the access lot.
Camping at Bisti Badlands
Primitive dispersed camping is permitted in the Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness, but there are no developed campgrounds, hookups, or potable water. If you camp here, you need to be completely self-sufficient and follow Leave No Trace principles.
I spent the night at the De-Na-Zin access area, where another couple was also camping. I also saw a camper van at the main Bisti trailhead. Conditions are extremely basic, so don’t arrive expecting a campground experience.
If you’d rather have a hotel, Farmington is the obvious base for visiting Bisti Badlands, while Bloomfield is another option.
What to Bring to Bisti Badlands
Bisti Badlands is undeveloped wilderness, so come prepared to be completely self-sufficient. I recommend bringing:
- Plenty of water
- Food and snacks
- Offline GPS maps
- A physical map and compass
- Sun protection
- Sturdy hiking shoes
- Extra layers
- A headlamp if staying near sunset
- Emergency supplies
- Plenty of fuel before leaving Farmington or Bloomfield
Bisti Badlands: Know Before You Go
- Bring plenty of water. There is no potable water in the wilderness.
- Download an offline map before arriving. Cell service is minimal or nonexistent.
- Bring a physical map and compass as backup.
- Fill your gas tank in Farmington or Bloomfield.
- Avoid hiking after heavy rain. The unpaved access roads can become slippery or impassable.
- Start early or hike later in the day during warmer months. There is very little shade.
- Do not collect petrified wood or fossils. Petrified wood collection is prohibited here, and vertebrate fossils and cultural objects are protected.
- Leave no trace.Do not drive into the wilderness. Motorized and mechanical travel is prohibited within the wilderness.
- Check fire restrictions before camping.
- Respect private property and stay on legal access routes.
Have any questions about visiting Bisti Badlands or the De-Na-Zin Wilderness?
Ask in the comments section below.
