Here, near the Puerco River, the Anasazi built a 76 room pueblo. Sections of the pueblo and a kiva have been partially excavated. A short paved trail leads from the parking lot to the ruins and petroglyphs. A steep paved trail leads from the top of the mesa down into the blue badlands an amazing and beautiful area of banded, cone shaped hills. The hills are composed of bentonite, a soft, porous clay, which is very susceptible to erosion.
Rainwater racing down the hillsides creates intricate patterns and miniature ravines.
The bands of color represent different layers that were deposited under water. The blue-gray layers were deposited under a lake, while the pale red layers were deposited under a slow river. Manganese and iron oxides are responsible for these colors. The Blue Mesa area is rich with plant and animal fossils. Look for the fossils while hiking.