Into the Badlands: Hiking New Mexico's Otherworldly Rock Country

Some corners of New Mexico look less like Earth than a set from a science-fiction film. The state's badlands — regions of soft, eroded rock sculpted into hoodoos, spires, and undulating hills — offer surreal hiking through landscapes that feel genuinely alien, and rank among the most rewarding backcountry in the Southwest.

Sculpted by erosion

Wind and rare rain have carved these formations over eons from layers of soft sediment, leaving behind mushroom-shaped hoodoos, cracked hills, and scattered petrified wood. Every visit reveals shapes you missed the time before.

Walk far enough into the badlands and you'll swear you've left the planet entirely.

Navigation required

Many badlands lack marked trails, so route-finding, a map, and a GPS are essential. The featureless, repetitive terrain is easy to get lost in — part of the adventure, but a real hazard for the unprepared.

Leave it untouched

These formations are fragile, and petrified wood and fossils are protected. Take only photographs, stay off delicate features, and let the badlands keep their strange beauty for those who come after.

Field notes

• Many areas are trail-less — carry a map and GPS.
• Leave petrified wood and fossils where they lie; they're protected.
• Start early and carry more water than you think you need.

The badlands demand more of a hiker — more navigation, more preparation, more care — and repay it with scenery found almost nowhere else. In New Mexico's eroded country, the reward for a little effort is a walk on another world.