Bisti Badlands or Bisti Wilderness Area, New Mexico
Posted by Pete | Posted in News | Posted on 22-01-2011
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I asked number 2 son the other day if he had visited the Bisti Badlands, “no, he did not think so,” he said. Well, I want him to take a day trip with me to see this area of New Mexico. I don’t think there is any advertising about them and I don’t know why not. It is a beautiful area of eroded land, eons of wind and rain eating at the sandstone hills of that area. You can google the Bisti and view some of the pictures and also get directions to this area of New Mexico. From Albuquerque, we will probably journey west on I-40 to Thoreau, turning north on NM 371 and along about mile marker 70 or 71 turn right on a county road and I hope you will see some signs or info directing you toward the Bisti. I have been there but it has been years and you need better info than I am equiped to give you at this time. But you will enjoy seeing these formations. I have borrowed a photo from one of the web sites, www.americansouthwest.net/new_mexico/bisti/photographs and you can go to that site and view several nice photos of that area. This is another good area for you to visit should you come out our way. No. 2 son and I will try and get a few shots of our own whenever we can get over that way…I will keep you posted…Pete
During the summer of 1972, my friend from Albuquerque, my brother, and I drove through the eastern edge of the Bisti Wilderness area on our way to Mesa Verde National Park in southwestern Colorado. It was a beautiful drive. From Albuquerque, we headed north in my friends pickup camper on I25 to Bernalillo and turned left on NM44 to Bloomfield. This is a better highway than 371, and it probably has more traffic, but it is still a beautiful drive. The Angel Peak area and the Salmon Ruins, and Shiprock Peak are particularly beautiful. Going this way, I’m sure that we probably missed the most unique portions of the Bisti Wilderness, but we got the eastern edge of it. It still passed through some beautiful, enchanted wilderness.
Four years earlier, I had biked from Albuquerque to the junction of NM 4 and NM 44 just south of Jemez Springs. It was good to penetrate even further into the enchanted wildderness on our way to Mesa Verde.
Hwy 371 was reworked from Thoreau to Farmington and is now a good two lane highway. However, the way you are talking about is ok also. Hwy 44 is now Hwy 550 and is 4 laned all the way to Bloomfield. Good road..Yes, there are some nice places to visit all over New Mexico including those you mention….
NM 44 is four laned!!! That’s amazing! None of it was four laned north of Bernalillo in 1972. New Mexico is burning those Federal tax dollars. It’s no wonder our government is trillions in debt. I believe I’d rather drive 371 now. Two-lane is more scenic. Who wants to see mile after mile of four-lane concrete.