Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness 4/19-21/21

[Dreamer]

The season opener for my 2021 backpacking was a pair of nights in the Bisti Badlands of New Mexico. After a visit to some Wyoming badlands last summer I’m coming to a strong appreciation and enjoyment of these terrains. So stark, so harsh, so quiet, so elemental.

After a bit too much driving, I was more than ready to get out of the ’civilized’. I left the access point at a little before 6:00p with 8 liters of water and a plan to wander aimlessly. I like to do minimal research and planning, preferring to wing it as much as possible. One can find lots of info and pictures online, including GPS points for the popular features, but I’d rather not.

i found a trail and followed it. After a bit the footprints were gone as I continued on a cow path along the edge of the badlands. When I saw a homestead ahead in the distance I decided it was time to veer off back into the badlands proper. It was quite difficult to find a safe route down. I dislike marring the landscape with my footprints so I stuck to the solid surfaces whenever I could. Thankfully a maverick cow or two had made attempts to get in and I used their experience to help me on. I was up against the coming dark and pleased to get to the bottom and a nice flat spot just before night. I slept in the open.

The morning was warm and calm. I set about my plan to wander aimlessly. I went up and down and around a few of the washes. Late in the afternoon I headed back towards the road for a timely exit next day. My camp was not far from where I’d slept the first night. The strong wind blew through my sleeping bag zipper as the temp bottomed not far above freezing. I didn’t sleep so well. In the morning I skipped the hot food and drink, quickly gathering my gear. It was chilly enough to hike in my puffy almost all the way out.

 

[Ugly]

Those are my kind of campsites.
I really like those photos in the evening sun. It's an interesting area that I just have not justified the drive yet.

 

[napatony13]

Camping out there must feel a little like being on Mars! We made the trek out there in December of 2018. We stayed in our truck camper and did 5 different hikes into different parts of the badlands. We had a few waypoints but it was mostly wandering around and going wherever it looked interesting. It's an amazing place and I think we saw 2 people the entire trip.

 

[Dreamer]

Thanks @Ugly and @napatony13 and all.
It is kind of off by itself in the middle of nowhere. I was coming from the East and had an appointment at the Grand Canyon North Rim so it wasn’t so much extra to pass by. I really wanted to go there and wish I’d had more time. I want to go back when I have a week or more to get into it.
Sleeping out there does totally feel like Mars except for the breathing air part and it is out of the way but not all that far. Out in the open is always the best when workable and the stars there were great. I might have set the shelter the second night for warmth and wind except the flat ground is like cement and dragging out a bunch of rocks just felt inappropriate in such a landscape. I’d rather not leave any mark of my passing. No precip so not so bad. A bivy sack would have been perfect. It seems like a relatively safe place to wander. Just walk West to cross the paved road.
It must have been really chilly in December and windy. I bet I’d opt for the truck too. You must have seen plenty in 5 day hikes. That wing is huge! There were 8 vehicles at the parking lot when I got there at 5:00p, 5 were gone in the 45 minutes I used to pack. The other 3, including 2 big rigs, were clearly spending the night. Plenty of other spots nearby. On the hike I saw only one couple. Must probably don’t get more than a few miles in.
Badlands are so cool. I’m headed to another soon.

 

[napatony13]

If you go back we did 3 of the hikes out in or near the Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah Wilderness area. If you do that you can take the "back" way into Chaco Canyon which is really worth a visit. I've read that the main route into Chaco from the south is a horrible road...the gravel roads we were on were fantastic...cruised at 60+ on some of them! The "King of Wings" is really an odd hike...it's off by itself with virtually no other formations around it, much different from all the other areas we went to.

 

[Titans]

Fascinating landscape and the petrified log is super cool. Thanks for sharing. One day we will visit, it’s been on our list for a while now.

 

[SteveR]

It really is a fascinating area to explore! We took the (mostly) good side roads from Chaco, camped nearby and spent an evening and then a full day simply wandering around. While we had a few well known features on the agenda such as the "Dinosaur Eggs", the best part was checking out all the nooks and crannies. It seems that many visitors have the "Eggs" as their only goal- we were passed along the way by two groups straightlining across the flats, glued to their GPS screens. Their loss!

 

[Dreamer]

Glad I could remind you of your visit @SteveR.
Hope you get a chance to go yourself @Titans. I’d love to see the images you get.
Thanks

 

[travel2walk]

Just curious, you mentioned you visited the Wyoming badlands. Are you talking about the ones just outside of Dubois? If so, I'd love to have more details about them. I remember seeing them on my way into the northern winds and last year but didn't find much backpacking/hiking info on them online.

 

[Dreamer]

Just curious, you mentioned you visited the Wyoming badlands. Are you talking about the ones just outside of Dubois? If so, I'd love to have more details about them. I remember seeing them on my way into the northern winds and last year but didn't find much backpacking/hiking info on them online.

@travel2walk that does look like an interesting area, but I have not been in there. I know nothing about access or private lands.. You could probably figure something out with the county GIS info, a Forest Service/BLM driving map and some quads.

 

[Rockskipper]

I recall a road that goes into the Dubois badlands, but I didn't take it very far, just stopped at a nice lookout point.

I camped in BIsti once in March and had to use my car as a windbreak so my tent wouldn't blow away. There was no one else there and it felt like I was on the edge of the world.

 

[Dreamer]

... it felt like I was on the edge of the world.

That’s exactly what I love about places like that!!

 

[Wyatt Carson]

Dreamer, if you look at your last image that might be coal on the surface of the canyon walls. There is a lot of coal in the area near or on the surface and even an old mine. Lots of fossils too. We’ve spent a lot of time all through there and really enjoy the spooky landscape. Check out the northern Ah-shi-sle-pah too. Outstanding places there with rooted tree stumps from the Jurassic but the north Chacoan road cut through as well. There is some good dinosaur fossils and aetasaur too. The hoodoos and formations are unique in areas. I came across a stlylized lizard/shield creation with specific symbols that seems to be current era Dené. The placement of the lizard was a giveaway and the entire piece was very detailed and painstakingly wrought. Some crazy stuff going on out there on many levels.

 

[Laura V.]

Thanks for sharing. Beautiful photos!

 

[Dreamer]

Some crazy stuff going on out there on many levels.

Thanks for the suggestions @Wyatt Carson. i look forward to a return.
@Laura V. glad you enjoyed.