Petrified Forest National Park guide · 1 min read
Blue Mesa Loop Through Blue Badlands
When a short walk is all your schedule allows, the Blue Mesa Trail is the one to choose at Petrified Forest National Park.
This one-mile loop drops you into the badlands themselves, where hills banded in blue, purple, peach, and gray are made of bentonite clay. From the overlooks above, the hills look like a painted backdrop. On foot, you walk right through them.
Begin at the trailhead and head down a steep slope off the mesa top. Once you reach the bottom, the path levels out as it winds among the formations before climbing back to where you started. You will move between paved stretches and gravel along the way. Keep watch for pieces of petrified wood lying on the ground.
Blue Mesa is also a fossil site. Paleontologists have located numerous plant and animal fossils in its layers of sedimentary rock. For a fuller visit, pair the hike with a drive along Blue Mesa Scenic Road, pulling over at the overlooks you pass. If you are coming from the Tepees, a brief stop there comes before you turn onto the road. Allow roughly one to one and a half hours for the drive and the walk together.
The Blue Forest Trail is the more demanding choice. The round trip covers three miles through badlands between the Tepees and Blue Mesa, with broad views and petrified wood along the way. Underfoot you will find loose gravel and slick clay, along with steep pitches, narrow ridges, and stretches where you choose your own line. Park Service guidance points it toward seasoned walkers who keep their balance on rough ground. Carry extra water, and wear footwear with firm traction.
