Clam Basin & Red Beds Route

Three hikers walk by a pile of petrified wood with colorful badlands and clouds beyond — A hillside covered with petrified wood in the lower part of Red Basin

The Clam Beds and Red Basin Loop is the longest of the official off-trail hiking routes in Petrified Forest National Park. It’s also one of the most amazing (the Wilderness Route wins as the best off-trail route IMO, but the Calm Beds & Red Basin has more variety in scenery and less petrified wood deposits). Along the way, you’ll get to see fossils, badlands, petrified wood, rock formations, and much more. It’s hard to pick a favorite part of the hike because it was all so beautiful! I did take an extra off-trail adventure beyond Red Basin to more views, which I’ll talk about briefly.

Quick Stats

Round Trip Length: 7.8-10.1 miles Trail Type: Lollipop loop Elevation Gain: 417-724ft. Pets: Leashed Fees: $25/vehicle

Clouds sail over rock formations in the sun and prairie in the shade — Distant rock formations along the early part of the trail

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Clouds sail over a desert plain and a dirt road with distant buttes on the horizon — The dirt road traveling across the plain

Note that there is a dirt road for maybe half of the hike. The remainder has no trail whatsoever. I’m used to off-trail travel and was confused a few times, especially in Red Basin. I highly recommend picking up an official printout for the hike from the visitor center or the Rainbow Forest Museum, as it contains helpful photos and directions.

A badland wall with many white rocks at its base — Rocks near the Clam Beds

0.0 Gravel parking area along the Blue Mesa Road (5,513ft.). This is unmarked but on the left (west) side of the road where the Blue Mesa Road splits into a one-way loop (an informational sign is for “Change in Climate” beside where you park). After enjoying the views at the parking lot, walk down the road (back toward the main park road) until you see the “authorized vehicles only” signs on the wooden barriers blocking a dirt road on the left (east) side of the paved road. (34.930426, -109.760492)

Dark clouds over a desert plain with three fence pieces and a hiker on a dirt road — The beginning of the dirt road

0.4 Beginning of the dirt road (5,471ft.). Travel east on the dirt road. There are great views in this area; especially look left (north) toward the cliffs and rock formations below Blue Mesa. Note that this part of Blue Mesa is off-limits to hikers, as it is closed for restoration (you’ll be fine as long as you stay on or close to the road). (34.925190, -109.762750)

A dirt road curves across a desert plain beneath puffy clouds — The road travels across the desert

2.0 Road split (5,470ft.). Take the left fork. Some old metal junk is near this junction. (34.927648, -109.737915)

Two hikers walk on a dirt road across a desert plain with puffy white clouds overhead — Continuing along the dirt road – the wash to the left is where the along-the-base-of-the-cliffs route (below) comes back to the dirt road

2.1 Road Split (5,474ft.). Again, take the left fork to travel north and a little east. (34.928715, -109.736669)

Fenceposts and yellow grass along a dirt road with distant badlands and puffy clouds in the sky — Near where you’ll want to turn off for the Clam Beds – the beds are located just to the left of the center of the picture, to the right of the badland wall

2.4 Wash (5,485ft.). Turn right (northeast) here just after the road makes a sharp curve to the northwest (left – if the road starts traveling west and/or enters Billings Gap, you’ve gone too far). You want to travel east and a little north up this wash to the far side of the first butte. The clam beds area a little hard to find, but once you’re there, you’ll know by the many rocks with fossils. (34.932351, -109.734702)

Red and black fossilized clam shells — Fossilized clam shells

2.5 Clam Beds (5,498ft.). The clam beds extend for some distance north along the side of the butte, so explore to your heart’s content as long as you 1) stay safe, and 2) leave no trace (do not collect, touch, or otherwise move or alter the fossils!) From here, if you want to continue to Red Basin, turn and look south/southeast. Walk so as to pass a butte on its right (western) side, then turn left to travel east toward some low, sandy hills with a lone juniper tree on it. Ascend the sandy hill to the saddle located to the left (north) of this lone tree (approx. 3.1 miles; 34.930606, -109.725566). The “Sand Castle” formations should be visible near the white plain below; cross the vegetated plain between the saddle and the Sand Castles, approaching the Sand Castles from the right. (34.933484, -109.732967)

Clouds sail over badlands and rock formations — Rock formations as I entered the Red Basin area

I encountered rock formations almost as soon as I approached Red Basin. I decided to do a bit of adventuring, so instead of following the official directions (I’ll pick up the official route below as though I didn’t go off the route), I walked along the white upper end of Red Basin, generally heading east and not dropping into any of the major washes (you may have to go a bit to the right to avoid steep drops into arms of the wash). I walked through the remains of a fence and kept heading east and a little north until I encountered rock formations and badlands, passing just to the left (north) of a fun little formation.

A rock formation on a badland below clouds in the sky — The fun little formation

From here, I headed up into the badlands (I followed a wash east and then north from 34.931294, -109.717432). This took me up on top of the badlands. I followed badland tops (it’s too dangerous to try and descend and reclimb between badland ridges – besides being way too steep with ball bearing type gravel, in places, the badland is very thin with washed out caves… you don’t want to fall into them). I headed north and then quite a distance east and found myself looking down into another badland valley. The views were just gorgeous!

Many badlands with clouds in the sky — Approaching the Badland Valley (on the right)

I really wanted to get a view of Red Basin, so I wiggled and waggled my way west (which meant north, too) and didn’t really get a good view. But I tried! From there, I tried to go back down a different way, which didn’t work very well. Those badlands are crazy steep, and I slipped and scraped my knee quite nicely at one point. But I did get back down to the coordinate (above) where I’d started up into the badlands. From there, it was a simple trek back across the white area to the main wash, turning right to descend into it (not the easiest, but it worked), and then continuing down into Red Basin. (Remember, I’m picking up below as though I didn’t go off the official route, which added about 1.5 miles to the route.)

Badlands give way to grassy plains with clouds above — Red Basin from above

3.25 Red Basin Area (5,513ft.). The basin is white at its upper end; you want to descend into the deep wash in the bottom of Red Basin. Maps generally suggest swinging right (south) for a short distance, then following one of the sidewashes down into the deeper main wash – this may take some scouting, as some of the washes have dryfalls or very steep, deep, narrow channels that are difficult to navigate. (The NPS printout is not helpful here, so do your best.) Once down in the main wash, it twists and turns with little in the way of views for a while (be careful of mud after a rain). After a while, the wash opens up so you can see the lower part of Red Basin. There is petrified wood and a fun little wing-like formation in the lower basin. (34.929980, -109.722522)

Clouds over a large petrified log and a hiker — The large petrified log at the end of Red Basin

3.75 Exit Red Basin (5,472ft.). There is another very large petrified log at the end of Red Basin, just as you exit the hills. Walk out onto the plain, then wrap left (west) following the washes at the base of the hills on the left (south), which are often covered in rock formations. I would have loved to explore this area more, but besides having gotten a late start and having already spent quite a bit of time exploring, the sun went under and made the landscape less interesting than if the sun had been on it. There is one area (approx. mile 4.3; 34.939849, -109.729216) that requires you to take an easy scramble down into the next wash area. The badlands beyond this are quite nice. Keep the hills on your left as you turn south into Billings Gap at approximately mile 4.5. (34.934297, -109.722524)

A fence and a badland butte below clouds in the sky — The fence in Billings Gap

4.75 Billings Gap (5,438ft.). This is a beautiful area with rock formations high on the cliffs. The Billings Gap Overlook is high on the right (west) cliff wall. Pick up the road (the gate in the fence down the middle of the gap is a good indicator of where the road goes) and continue southward. At the end of the gap (approx. 5.2 miles; 34.934756, -109.737585), you have a choice. First, you can turn right to work your way below the cliffs of Blue Mesa, following a wash back down to intersect the dirt road on which you started your hike at about 34.923398, -109.748680. The benefit of this hike is a slightly different view perspective, closer views of the nearby rock formations, and some petrified wood; however, the walking is extremely difficult over uneven terrain and unfriendly plants, and there are unmarked areas where access is prohibited (mostly below the rock formations in Blue Mesa). Second, you can continue down the road to meet up with where you turned off to the clam beds. This guide takes the second course and stays on the road (though the GPX file takes the first route along the bottom of the mesa). Reconnect with where you turned off about mile 5.4, then turn right at the two road splits (mile 5.75 and mile 5.8). Follow the road westward back to the main park road. (34.939787, -109.734661)

Badland butte with rocks and badlands and clouds beyond — Rock formations and badlands near Billings Gap

7.4 Beginning of the dirt road (5,471ft.). Turn right back up the paved road toward where you parked your vehicle. (34.925190, -109.762750)

Two pieces of petrified wood on top of badland pillars below clouds in a blue sky — Petrified wood on badland pillars near the bottom of the cliffs of Blue Mesa

7.8 Gravel parking area along the Blue Mesa Road (5,513ft.). (34.930426, -109.760492)

White clam shell fossils — More clam fossils

This route took us pretty much all day – and I was very tired and ready for a rest by the time we got back to the van!

Two hikers between badland buttes — Standing on a cliff above the Clam Beds area

Round Trip Route Length: I hiked 10.1 miles with all my exploring; the more traditional route is 7.8 miles

Elevation Gain: With all my exploring, I climbed 724ft. (5,434ft. to 5,619ft.). The more traditional route without exploring is 417ft. (5,433ft. to 5,534ft.)

A hiker walks by a roll of fence wire and fenceposts with badlands beyond and puffy white clouds in the sky — Walking through the remains of a fence above Red Basin

Facilities: None

Fees: $25/vehicle to enter Petrified Forest National Park. America the Beautiful National Parks & Federal Public Lands Passes and Petrified Forest Annual Passes are accepted.

Puffy white clouds over colorful badlands and rocks on a desert plain — Heading up the valley to where I went exploring up to the badland ridges

Trail Notes: The entire route between the Calm Beds and Billings Gap is off-trail, and the Clam Beds to Red Basin definitely has some interesting wayfinding. I’d recommend a way to follow GPS coordinates (GPS, phone map with offline maps) and familiarity using the system before attempting the route. Phone signal is more or less non-existent out here.

Colorful striped badlands below puffy white clouds — Looking down into the Badland Valley

Trail

Road

Signs

Scenery

Would I go 100 miles out of my way for this?

Overall Rating:

A piece of petrified wood and a wing-like rock formation under puffy white clouds — A piece of petrified wood and a not-very-good view of the wing formation near the end of Red Basin

GPS Coordinates for the Clam Beds and Red Basin Route

Parking: 34.9305870°, -109.7604430° (34°55.83522′, -109°45.62658′ / 34°55’50.1132″, -109°45’37.5948″) (5,514ft.) (0.0)

Gate: 34.9252120°, -109.7626040° (34°55.51272′, -109°45.75624′ / 34°55’30.7632″, -109°45’45.3744″) (5,471ft.) (0.41)

A petrified log with yucca plants below puffy white clouds — A petrified log I found on the plain between Red Basin and Billings Gap

Road junction: 34.9276540°, -109.7379040° (34°55.65924′, -109°44.27424′ / 34°55’39.5544″, -109°44’16.4544″) (5,470ft.) (2.04)

Leave road: 34.9321220°, -109.7342700° (34°55.92732′, -109°44.05620′ / 34°55’55.6392″, -109°44’03.3720″) (5,486ft.) (2.54)

Clouds sail over a desert plain and a badland butte — Walking from the petrified lot on the plain toward Billings Gap

Clam beds: 34.9334920°, -109.7329720° (34°56.00952′, -109°43.97832′ / 34°56’00.5712″, -109°43’58.6992″) (5,499ft.) (2.67)

Top: 34.9334500°, -109.7144540° (34°56.00700′, -109°42.86724′ / 34°56’00.4200″, -109°42’52.0344″) (5,616ft.) (4.50)

A petrified log on a desert plain with distant badlands and clouds above — Looking back across the petrified log on the plain

Billings Gap: 34.9398010°, -109.7346710° (34°56.38806′, -109°44.08026′ / 34°56’23.2836″, -109°44’04.8156″) (5,438ft.) (7.08)

Return to the dirt road: 34.9233980°, -109.7486800° (34°55.40388′, -109°44.92080′ / 34°55’24.2328″, -109°44’55.2480″) (5,452ft.) (8.84)

End: 34.9305570°, -109.7604470° (34°55.83342′, -109°45.62682′ / 34°55’50.0052″, -109°45’37.6092″) (5,514ft.) (10.16)

Colorful striped badlands below clouds in the sky — Walking through a badland area on the way to Billings Gap

The gpx file for the Clam Beds and Red Basin Loop (including my explorations) can be downloaded – please note that this and the GPS Coordinates are for reference only and should not be used as a sole resource when hiking this trail.

Download GPX File size: 269.7 KB Downloaded 22 times

(Note: I do my best to ensure that all downloads, the webpage, etc. are virus-free and accurate; however, I cannot be held responsible for any damage that might result, including but not limited to loss of data, damages to hardware, harm to users, from use of files, information, etc. from this website. Thanks!)

Rock formations on top of a colorful badland wall — Rock formations above Billings Gap

Getting to the Clam Beds and Red Basin Route Trailhead

The parking area is unmarked, but it’s located 1.75 miles up the Blue Mesa Road from the Main Park Road, at the place where the Blue Mesa Road splits into a one-way loop. The Blue Mesa Road is located 15.3 miles from the visitor center (up by the Painted Desert and the northern entrance) and 12 miles north of the Rainbow Forest Museum. The gravel lot has space for several vehicles.