The Blue Mesa badlands are made up of rock known as the Chinle Formation, which extends from Texas, across northern Arizona, and into Utah. The rock is mostly fine-grained clay and siltstone, but also contains sandstone and conglomerate. Bentonite (a sort of clay originating from volcanic ashes), a major ingredient, swells and becomes sticky when wet and cracks and shrinks when it dries. The constant shrinking and swelling of the surface gives the Chinle its elephant-skin texture.
The pastel bands of color in Blue Mesa indicate the type of environment in which the sediments were desposited. Blues and greys are a sign of carbon from decaying organic material that was buried or under water and not exposed to air. Reds result from an iron mineral, hematite. When exposed to air, even a small amount of iron causes the rocks to oxidize, or rust. The whites represent nearly pure bentonite clay. Ground water, percolating through the buried sediments, also accounts for some color changes.
Blue Mesa Trail
Descending from the mesa, this 1 mile long trail loops among badland hills of bluish bentonite clay and petrified wood. Plant fossils, including delicate ferns, have been found in the sedimentary layers of Blue Mesa.
Directions
If you enter the park from the north, stay on the main road for about 15 miles and then turn left into Blue Mesa Drive. The parking area is at the end of the drive, about 2.5 miles from the intersection with the main road.
Selected Pictures
Those pictures have been taken during multiple visits of the park, therefore the brightness and quality varies due to different weather conditions and advances in digital camera technology.
