Bisti Badlands

The Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness is a remote, otherworldly landscape of hoodoos, fossils, and alien rock formations in northwestern New Mexico. There are no signposts pointing the way, but the usual approach is along NM 371 from Farmington, the largest town in the area.

Translated from the Navajo language, Bisti (Bis-tie) means "a large area of shale hills," and De-Na-Zin (Deh-nah-zin) takes its name from the Navajo words for "cranes."

The Bisti Beast

An early relative of Tyrannosaurus rex, the Bisti Beast (Bistahieversor sealeyi) was discovered here in 1997. This roughly 30-foot tyrannosaur roamed the Earth around 74 million years ago and, to date, has only been found in New Mexico.

Plan Your Visit

Bring plenty of water and keep track of the wash as you explore. You can always return to the wash and follow it west back to the parking area. For closures and notices, refer to the BLM website for the Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness.