Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness

Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness is a protected area in San Juan County, New Mexico, spanning roughly 45,000 acres of badlands formed from layered rock. The terrain displays towers, pillars, and mushroom-shaped hoodoos created by erosion of sandstone, shale, siltstone, and fossilized coal seams.

The area gained protection in 1984 and is managed by the Bureau of Land Management. The rock layers date back 70 million years to a time when swamps and rivers moved across the basin.

The place carries a name from the Navajo language: Bistahí describes the clay formations, while Dééł Náázíní refers to standing cranes in nearby rock carvings. Visitors walk through a landscape that has held meaning and navigation points for indigenous communities for centuries.

The wilderness is reached via unpaved roads south of Farmington; a vehicle with clearance makes the approach easier. There are no marked trails, so visitors should be ready to navigate with map and GPS and carry enough water.

The sediments have yielded over 200 species of plant and animal fossils, including the so-called Bisti Beast, a tyrannosaur skeleton from 1997. Photographers often arrive at dawn or dusk when the rock colors appear more intense.

Location: San Juan County

Inception: October 30, 1984

GPS coordinates: 36.30440,-108.11800

Latest update: December 19, 2025 22:52