Blue Mesa Trail
Beginning at the Blue Mesa sun shelter, this 1-mile loop trail descends from the mesa into the badlands.
Plan Around Blue Mesa Trail
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Blue Mesa Trail Details
Beginning at the Blue Mesa sun shelter, this 1-mile loop trail descends from the mesa into the badlands. The alternately paved and gravel loop offers visitors the chance to see the badland hills, layered with blue and gray bentonite clay, up close. The area is also littered with the park's namesake petrified wood. There's a steep grade at the beginning of the trail, but it's an easy hike otherwise.
Difficulty
Low
Distance
1 miles
Estimated time
Region
N/A
Nearby Parks Around Blue Mesa Trail
Compare nearby parks around Blue Mesa Trail when deciding whether to expand the route after this stop.
Nearby Points of Interest Around Blue Mesa Trail
Use nearby POIs to quickly expand your options beyond Blue Mesa Trail while the map context is still fresh.
0.2 mi away
Billings Gap Overlook Hike
This off-the-beaten-path hike is slightly less than 3 miles round-trip, and takes visitors to a viewpoint of the Billings Gap area and badlands east of Blue Mesa.
1.0 mi away
Blue Mesa
Some of the park's most beautiful badlands, the Blue Mesa area is accessible via a 3.5-mile loop road off the main park highway.
1.0 mi away
Red Basin/Clam Beds Hike
This 6-mile round-trip hike is part of newly acquired land within Petrified Forest National Park.
1.2 mi away
The Tepees
These cone-shaped hills lie along the park's main road, in the southern unit of Petrified Forest.
1.2 mi away
Blue Forest Trail
The Historic Blue Forest Trail is 1.5 miles one-way, including 1.2 miles off the beaten path and .3 miles on the Blue Mesa Loop Trail.
