A Trip to Another Planet;

The Bisti Badlands / De-Na-Zin Wilderness

If you would like to visit another planet you do not need to go far. Living in the Southwest of the United States means that we have access to some of the most amazing landscapes in the world. My favorite area is the Bisti Badlands, which connects to a larger area, the De-Na-Zin Wilderness; which I will refer to collectively as the badlands. I have spent some time hiking the badlands, and they never fail to amaze me. While out there, it is easy to imagine being on another planet, completely alone and completely free. As much as I enjoy the badlands, I really did not know much about them.

Location

There are a couple ways to get to the badlands. To get to the De-Na-Zin wilderness from Farmington there are a couple possible routes that end at the same parking area. Take either U.S. 550 or NM 371 south. Turn onto county road 7500, if coming from U.S. 550 take a right, if coming from NM 371 take a left. The parking area is on the north side of the road, about 12 miles from 550 and about 15 miles from 371. To get to the Bisti Badlands take NM 371 south and follow the signs. The turn will be at the bottom of a steep hill right next to the wash.

General Information

The badlands were designated the Bisti / De-Na-Zin Wilderness by the United States Congress in 1984. This includes 41,170 acres of land between U.S. 550 and NM 371. There is not much wildlife to be found in this area, but if you look closely you can see signs of rabbits, coyotes, and a variety of bird life. This is due to the lack of food in the area. Most of the vegetation in the area is sage brush and cacti.

The flora and fauna in the area is not what attracts visitors. What is truly impressive is the land formations that have formed. This includes some of the most impressive hoodoos I have ever seen, and some of the largest pieces of petrified wood in the area, up to 100 feet long. During my last hike to the area my partner and I found the most amazing labyrinth of sandstone hoodoos. It seemed like we could spend days explore the maze. Unfortunately, we found the maze towards the end of our hike and we were running out of daylight. The spectacular sights are due to the history of the area.

History

It is hard to envision the badlands being anything other than a dry desert region, but once upon a time it was an inland sea, completely covered with water. When the water receded, the dinosaurs moved in. At that time, the land was covered with lush vegetation and large wildlife. According to paleontologist Phil Gensler, who works for The Bureau of Land Management, this area is world famous when it comes to finding dinosaurs.

There have been two rare dinosaurs found in the badlands. In 1998 a rare tyrannosaurus was found and later named Bistahieversor sealeyi, or the Bisti Beast. The skull of this dinosaur can be found as a permanent exhibit at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science. In 2011 a couple of Pentaceratops were found, an adult and a baby. This was an interesting find because the baby was the first full fossil of a pentaceratops that has been found.

After the dinosaurs were gone, the area dried up, and without water the area became the empty desert landscape that can be found today.

.

Conclusion

The badlands hold a special place in my heart. No matter what is going on in my life, I know that I can find peace out in the open. There are times when the world becomes too much, and my anxiety gets the best of me. Nothing helps more than hiking the badlands with my Marbles, Nemo, and my partner Nica. Now I know that my favorite place to find solace was once home to my favorite things, dinosaurs.

Works Cited

De-Na-Zin Wilderness Area. (1994). Retrieved from The American Southwest : http://www.americansouthwest.net/new_mexico/de-na-zin/wilderness-area.html

Schmitt, M. (2015, Oct. 29). 70 million-year-old Dino fossils helicoptered out of Bisti Wilderness. Retrieved from KRQE News 13: http://krqe.com/2015/10/29/70-million-year-old-dino-fossils-helicoptered-out-of-bisti-wilderness/

The Bisti Beast. (1998). Retrieved from New Mexico Museum of Natural Science and History: http://www.nmnaturalhistory.org/exhibits/permanent-exhibits/bisti-beast

The University of Montana. (n.d.). Bisti / De-Na-Zin Wilderness . Retrieved from Wilderness Connect: http://www.wilderness.net/NWPS/wildview?WID=50