After seeing pictures of Bisti Badlands and Valley of Dreams we decided to do a day/overnight trip to Bisti from Santa Fe. We will be there at the end of October.

We will be in a rental car. The plan is to leave Santa Fe in the morning, get to Bisti or Valley of Dreams by mid-day, hike and then sleep not far from the park. Next day we will be driving to Alb to fly home late in the evening. We are in our 60s/'70s. We will have 2-4 hours for hiking depending on how fast we get there.

Question for NM experts, is it worth it to get there for 2-4 hours? if we are to choose one park - which one, Bisti or Valley of Dreams?

Can we drive there in a rental car? How are the trails? We are reading that the trails are not marked - how do people go their and not get lost?

I never knew anything about Bisti Badlands and Valley of Dreams until you posted your question. They look fantastic. They are on the huge Navaho (Dine) Reservation and accessible only by dirt roads. Some car rental companies do not permit driving on dirt roads. I would also keep an eye out for rattlesnakes and take plenty of water.

We headed out to Bisti last year in October, approaching from highway 550, but it was so windy (~ 40 MPH+?) that we never left the car. It was a stop on our way to Farmington for the annular eclipse, so it was only a short detour.

Seems like it might be worth it if you could spend 4 hours there on a nice day, although I'd prefer to be based someplace closer than Santa Fe. That length drive makes it not worth it to me, my preference is to be within 2 hours, but YMMV (no pun intended).

My friend, an experienced hiker, used a GPS app in there so he didn't get lost. He said it would be possible to get lost without one. The app he used is GAIA, there are various ones out there. I'd also pay close attention to landmarks as you hike and maybe have a separate compass.

Ditto on having plenty of water and above rattlesnake advice.

Good luck.