Bisti Badlands
The Bisti Badlands is an amazingly scenic and colorful expanse of undulating mounds and unusual eroded rocks covering 4,000 acres, hidden away in the high desert that covers the distant northwest corner of New Mexico. The Badlands are administered by the BLM (Bureau of Land Management), and are known officially, but less evocatively as the Bisti Wilderness Area. There are no signposts pointing the way to the Badlands from any nearby towns, but the usual approach route is along NM 371 from Farmington, the largest town in the Four Corners region - this heads due south through wide open prairie land at the east edge of the great Navajo Indian Reservation, which extends for 200 miles across into Arizona.
Five miles along the entrance track, the grassy plain is replaced quite abruptly by a multi-colored eroded landscape of small clayish hills, shallow ravines, and strange rock formations. The scene is a vivid mixture of red, grey, orange and brown that stretches for many miles. The track passes a large area suitable for parking, then crosses a dry sandy wash and continues alongside the badlands for ca 3 miles before rejoining NM 371. However, the road was fenced off shortly after the wash when I visited, a barrier which looked quite permanent. The far end of the track is actually the official entrance to the badlands, not that there is much difference in scenery or facilities. Several similar un-signposted tracks cross the sandy hills at the south edge of the formations, around a seasonal drainage known as the De-na-zin Wash. A ten mile drive along one such bumpy track leads to the much larger De-na-zin wilderness - equally colorful and even more remote, although partially covered with vegetation.
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My Own Bisti Badlands Travels
Took off and drove all night to the north west corner of New Mexico Thurdsay night after work.
Took 16 hours to get there. Arrived there around 11:30 am. Since I refuse to shoot during the bad part of the day,
I slept in the car and waited there until 5 pm. Then finally sunset was approaching so a hiking I went.
This was my second time there. I had to go back since I didn't get very many good shots my first trip out nearly 3 years ago. Stayed there shooting til the sun went away, then drove all the way back to Dallas. I didn't wake back up til noon today. Pretty beat right now still. Its getting harder for me to do these marathon type trips with very little sleep. All this effort just to shoot at sunset.
Bisti Part II
Well I drove back the following weekend since I could not find the area called the "Egg Factory", and thank God I did.
Turned out great, but with a price.
I know now I can hike 2.5 miles with 50 pounds of gear in the desert with out having a heart attack. I had my pack full with tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, 1.5 gallons of water, some food, 4 different sizes of flash lights (for photographing), glow sticks, GPS, long sleeve fleece, Canon 5D, 3 lenses, flash and tripod.
Storms were all around. Waited out two of them in the parking lot. Saw another one coming so I got to hiking so I could set up the tent. This was 4 pm. I find the egg factory area and set up the tent. Wind was a nightmare. I was being pounded by sand storms. (rain goes around me)I finally get the tent set up and throw all the gear inside. I take the camera and start shooting and exploring other areas. Sunset is coming so I head back to the camp area and start shooting the egg area.
6:30 and another storm is coming up right on me. I am shooing furiously to get as much light as possible. I look over at my tent area and it has been mangled by the wind. The ground is too soft for the stakes and the only thing keeping it from hauling ass across the desert is the weight of the gear inside. I have to stop shooting and fix it before the storm hits. The poles are all bent. I try and straighten them out and get the tent anchored down again placing heavy rocks all around it. It’s starting to rain and the light is gone. I am pissed.
I take cover inside and wait it out.
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7:15 and the storm is over. I get out to see what I can do. I look to my west and see a possibility of clouds breaking for the perfect light that 7:30 brings. I pray and ask God to do so. And the clouds break. I shoot non stop as another storm is coming up over the ridge behind me again. I was shooing all this time until 9pm and the light was gone. But I got some great shots with dramatic lighting. Dead tired I hit the sack as the last storm is coming up. I eat some food and fall asleep. Wake up at 4:30 am and start taking my night time shots. Wait until sunrise at 6 am and start shooting again till 8am. Finally get back to camp and pack everything up. I am dead tired and I eat all the food I have left, slam some water and dump the rest to lighten my load for the hike back to the car. Two hours later I am at the car and drive straight back to Dallas. Made it back to Dallas at 11:30pm 36°16'02 " N, 108°13'26 " W |