Bisti / De-Na-Zin Wilderness Area | New Mexico

The Bisti / De-Na-Zin Wilderness in northwestern New Mexico is a landscape of eroded badlands, colorful hoodoos, and fossil-bearing formations dating to the Late Cretaceous. This 45,000-acre wilderness protects unique geological features and paleontological resources, including petrified wood and vertebrate fossils. Hiking here means exploring unmarked routes across clay hills and sandstone outcrops, offering visitors a rare opportunity to experience rugged terrain and the quiet beauty of the high desert.

There are two primary launch points for accessing this wilderness area: Bisti Trailhead and De-Na-Zin Trailhead. The trails leading from these parking areas are informal, rough, and shared by hikers, bikers, and equestrians. Recreationalists are welcome to explore off-trail, packing out what you pack in and practicing a good land ethic. It is easy to become disoriented and lost when hiking in the badlands environment. Please bring a map and an orienting device. When hiking from the Bisti Trailhead, keep track of landmarks, including the main drainage at the trailhead which drains the Wilderness to the west towards the trailhead, and the Chuska Mountains also to the West.

Hours and Seasons

Open year-round. Spring and fall provide the most comfortable conditions for hiking and photography. Summer heat can be intense, and winter storms or rain can make roads and clay surfaces slippery or impassable.

Features and Services

• Access & Parking: Both the Bisti and De-Na-Zin trailheads have dirt parking areas. Bisti has a shaded group picnic area with accessible parking spots and an information kiosk  
• Cell Service: Minimal to nonexistent; plan for limited connectivity.
• Toilets: Bisti has a vault toilet; De-Na-Zin has no restrooms available.
• Water: None available; visitors must bring their own.
• Pets: Allowed on leash.
• Camping: Primitive, dispersed camping is permitted. Please check fire restrictions in advance, follow guidance on posted signs, and respect private property.
• Nearby Amenities: Farmington, Nageezi, and Bloomfield offer food, fuel, and lodging.

Respect and Protect

Please practice responsible outdoor ethics and stay within legal access boundaries. BLM regulations for rock collecting apply, with the exception of petrified wood, collection of which is prohibited by the site’s Wilderness Management Plan.  

Geological features in the area such as the hoodoos are fragile – please don’t climb on or deface them. Motorized and mechanical travel, including bicycles and drones, is prohibited in congressionally-designated Wilderness Areas like this one.