Bisti Badlands (Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness), New Mexico

Day 9: From Chaco Canyon to Farmington, NM – A Glimpse of the Otherworldly Bisti Badlands

Our journey continued as we departed from Chaco Canyon, heading toward Farmington, NM, where we planned to spend the night before making our way to Monument Valley, UT. Along the route, we made a highly anticipated stop at the surreal Bisti Badlands, a remote and otherworldly landscape that felt like stepping onto the surface of another planet.

Bisti Badlands is a geological wonder, sculpted by millions of years of erosion into a mesmerizing labyrinth of bizarre rock formations. Towering hoodoos, mushroom-shaped spires, and sculpted stone bridges create an almost alien terrain. Some of its most famous formations—such as the "Alien Egg Hatchery" and the "City of Hoodoos"—make it a dream destination for photographers and adventurous hikers alike. As the sun moves across the sky, the rocks take on ever-changing hues, transforming from deep earthy tones to fiery oranges and purples at sunrise and sunset.

Though we had initially planned to explore more of Bisti, the day had already been long and exhausting. We had begun our morning in Santa Fe, navigating the rugged backroads to reach Chaco Culture National Historical Park via U.S. Highway 550 and the notoriously rough and remote New Mexico County Road 7900. Upon leaving Chaco, we opted for the south exit—a 21-mile dirt road that, while lacking a marked county road number, eventually connected us to U.S. Highway 371 near the now-abandoned Seven Lakes Trading Post. While we had hoped this shortcut would save time, the slow-going terrain made for a rough ride.

By the time we arrived at Bisti Badlands, fatigue was setting in. The strong desert winds howled across the landscape, making our brief exploration even more challenging. Despite this, we took some time to wander among the towering rock formations, capturing a few photographs before continuing onward to Farmington for some much-needed rest and a hot meal. Though our visit to Bisti was shorter than planned, the glimpse we had of this otherworldly terrain left a lasting impression, and we vowed to return one day for a deeper exploration.

Now here is what we missed by departing Bisti Badlands without deeper exploration. These images are displaying just how varied the geography is there.

This area, encompassing 45,000 acres in northwestern New Mexico, presents a unique assemblage of geomorphic features sculpted by relentless eolian and fluvial processes over millions of years. The landscape is dominated by hoodoos, slender and towering sandstone spires that rise from the cracked earth. These formations, aptly nicknamed "Alien Egg Hatchery" and "Hoodoo City," exemplify the otherworldly aesthetic for which the Bisti Badlands are renowned.

Wouldn't you think that a number of movies or TV shows would have used such an unusual place to film at? We thought so too, yet when we did some research, the list of movies filmed here is pretty short.

The Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness feels like another planet: miles of eroded badlands, hoodoos, and delicate cap-rocks in every direction. It’s quiet, remote, and wonderfully weird—ideal for hikers, photographers, and geology fans who enjoy wide-open spaces and eerie rock gardens. On our visit the wind was howling and sand was moving—spectacular to see, but also a reminder that this is real desert. We cut our day short and would absolutely return with a calmer forecast and a dawn start.

The draw here is the geology: wind-sculpted hoodoos, thin fins and ribs of sandstone, and mushroom-cap caprock balanced on narrow stems—formations so odd they feel like a movie set. Scattered across the flats are ovoid “cracked egg” concretions (often called the Egg Factory) and pockets of petrified wood, all etched into shape by eons of water, frost, and blasting desert wind. At sunrise and sunset the low light carves deep shadows and warm highlights into every curve and ridge—photography magic, and unlike anything else we’ve seen in the U.S.

• How do I get there?

  From Farmington, drive ~36 miles south on NM-371, turn left (east) on Road 7297 (good gravel), go ~2 miles to a T; turn left and continue ~1 mile to the Bisti Trailhead parking area. Coordinates near the main trailhead: 36.259115, -108.251936. Click here to view a Google Map.

• Do I need a 4WD vehicle?

  A lot of sites imply you do. In our experience, you don’t in dry conditions—the road is rutted and rocky but manageable with slow, careful driving. That said, the BLM warns the area roads can become slick/impassable when wet; avoid after rain or snowmelt.

• Fees & hours?

  No entrance fee; area is open year-round (daylight visits are most comfortable in spring/fall).

• Facilities?

  At the Bisti Trailhead: vault toilet, kiosk, large dirt lot, limited shade; no potable water—bring your own. (De-Na-Zin trailhead has no restrooms.)

• Services / nearest hub

  There are no services at the trailheads. The nearest full services (gas/food/water) for Bisti are in Farmington (~40 miles).

• Safety & conditions?

  This is true wilderness: little shade, big distances, and easy disorientation. Carry offline maps/GPS, tell someone your plan, bring more water than you think you need, and watch weather. During monsoon season, avoid washes and be alert for flash floods; high wind days can send sand airborne—eye protection and a buff help.

• Maps

  Use “Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness – Bisti Trailhead” in Google Maps, or the coordinates above, for the main lot. Directions and distances also appear on Recreation.gov’s Bisti page.

In the trip menu list below, a "dark filled circle" represents a destination where we stayed, and the "dark filled arrow" items below that circle location, represent the destinations we visited while in that city or location. A circle icon that is not filled represents a city that we visited or stayed in, but did not necessarily explore.

Click any link below to go directly to that page;

 Trip Overview Page

 Albuquerque, NM

• Sandia Peak Tramway
• Petroglyph National Monument
• Old-Town Albuquerque
• National Museum of Nuclear Science & History

 Alamogordo, NM

• McGinn's PistachioLand Farm
• White Sands National Park

 Carlsbad, NM

• Tunnel Vista Observation Site
• Trestle Depot Recreation Area
• Carlsbad Caverns National Park

 Roswell, NM

• International UFO Museum

 Santa Fe, NM

• Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, NM
• Museum of Indian Arts & Culture, NM
• Ojo Santa Fe Spa Resort, NM
• Bradbury Science Museum - Los Alamos, NM
• Los Alamos, NM
• Bandelier National Monument, NM
• Nambé Falls, NM
• Meow Wolf, NM

 Chaco Culture National Historical Park, NM

 Bisti Badlands, NM

 Monument Valley

 Grand Canyon, AZ

• Planning Your Grand Canyon Visit
• Grand Canyon South Rim Top Sites and Itineraries
• Grand Canyon El Tovar Hotel

 Sedona, AZ