Bisti Badlands
In our opinion, the Bisti is one of the most spectacular and interesting areas in the Western US.
The Bisti Wilderness is a result of millions of years of deposits and thousands of years of erosion. Part of the “Badlands” of the San Juan Basin in New Mexico, the Bisti was created through water from seas, rivers, and swamps over the course of 550 million years and shaped over the last two million years through the combination of land uplifting and erosion.
The harder sandstone layers fracture and break into irregular shapes through freezing and thawing and are also eroded by wind and rain The lower softer clay and silt stone materials (due to their softness) erode more quickly. The erosional process at different rates often creates shapes that look like mushrooms or hoodoos, or an alien egg hatchery or stone wings. Our photographs here were the result of one 5 hour hike - in and out. We are already planning our next trip.
The Bisti is easy to drive to. It is 36.5 miles south of Farmington, New Mexico on NM 371. Fall is the best season to visit. Be prepared for a strenuous hike, and make sure you have plenty of water, and an experienced guide. We highly recommend the company that guided us: Navajo Tours USA - info@navajotoursusa.com. 855-422-5476. Their knowledge of, and experience in, the Bisti Wilderness is superior!
Read MoreThe Bisti Wilderness is a result of millions of years of deposits and thousands of years of erosion. Part of the “Badlands” of the San Juan Basin in New Mexico, the Bisti was created through water from seas, rivers, and swamps over the course of 550 million years and shaped over the last two million years through the combination of land uplifting and erosion.
The harder sandstone layers fracture and break into irregular shapes through freezing and thawing and are also eroded by wind and rain The lower softer clay and silt stone materials (due to their softness) erode more quickly. The erosional process at different rates often creates shapes that look like mushrooms or hoodoos, or an alien egg hatchery or stone wings. Our photographs here were the result of one 5 hour hike - in and out. We are already planning our next trip.
The Bisti is easy to drive to. It is 36.5 miles south of Farmington, New Mexico on NM 371. Fall is the best season to visit. Be prepared for a strenuous hike, and make sure you have plenty of water, and an experienced guide. We highly recommend the company that guided us: Navajo Tours USA - info@navajotoursusa.com. 855-422-5476. Their knowledge of, and experience in, the Bisti Wilderness is superior!
