Bisti Badlands Sunrise Loop

From the parking lot, start out on the flat following the main wash to the northeast for ~0.75 miles until you pass the end of the fenced area of Navajo land. Cross the main wash and take a turn NNE heading into the hills. By about the 1 mile point, you'll have hills on both sides and "cannon balls" may start to appear at the foot of some of the hills. Watch your footing!The ground will now be a mixture of hardpack and sand in lower-lying places. From here, you'll need to scramble over a few passes to get into the hills and gain some altitude. Start watching for small water tunnels, as they indicate hollow hills to be extra careful on. There are places where the hills collapse into these hollows and result in a 20+ foot deep pit of broken rocks that you don't want to end up in.Around 2 miles in on the top of the ridge, there will be some hoodoos with a clear view to the east that offer ethereal views during sunrise. From here, head around to the east where you'll want to recross the main wash. In the hills to the south you'll find a petrified forest. Trees once up to 3 feet in diameter fell and were buried in ash, preserved for millennia as their molecules became replaced with silica. Continue along the loop to find Cracked Egg formations and intimate landscapes tucked into every hill and wash.Explore away in these areas before returning along the main wash to the parking area.PLEASE DO NOT DAMAGE THE FORMATIONS. They are delicate works of natural art that took millennia to create and can't be put back together.