The Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness is 45,000-acres of remote, steeply eroded, desolate badlands which tours out to be home to some of the strangest and definitely unusual landscape around. Located in the Four Corners region of the United States, the ever-changing environment offers visitors a visual experience unlike any other in the world. Mother Nature has taken her toll on the land and left behind rock formations and fossils for visitors to explore and enjoy. Its name comes from Navajo translations for “a large area of shale hills” and “cranes” (petroglyphs of cranes have been identified in the areas around the wilderness).

Within the wilderness itself, there are two major geological formations, the Fruitland Formation and the Kirtland Shale. The Fruitland consists of interbedded shale, mudstone, sandstone, coal and silt and makes up most of what visitors will see when they visit. It is the weathering of the sandstone that forms the sculpted rock know as hoodoos. The Kirtland Shale is found mostly on the eastern portion of the wilderness and is made up of various colored rocks.

Popular activities in the wilderness include backpacking, camping, hiking, horseback riding and photography. There is parking available at both access points. There is no place to get water inside the wilderness so bring your own.

The Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness is located 30 miles south of Farmington, New Mexico accessible by NM 371.

Things to see and do in Farmington
Aztec Ruins National Monument Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness/Chaco Canyon/Navajo Nation/

Other Farmington links
History/Hotels/Maps/Contact the CVB/