The 'Alien Egg Hatchery' in the Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness, New Mexico
© Ian Shive/Tandem Stills + Motio
Welcome to the 'Alien Egg Hatchery'
The otherworldly rock formations in the Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness inspired some creative names – such as the 'Alien Egg Hatchery' seen in this photo. More than 70 million years ago, this desert was a tidal swamp along the shore of the long-evaporated Western Interior Seaway that once bisected North America. A diverse array of sediment and rock was deposited by the waters, and after the seaway retreated, the rocks remained.
Today, these inspiring desert landscapes are a protected area thanks to the Wilderness Act of 1964. If you're planning a road trip along any of New Mexico's Scenic Byways, make time for the Trails of the Ancients Byway, which will take you directly to Bisti/De-Na-Zin.
Related Images
Eagle owl bird of prey in Karnataka.
Yayoi Kusama's 'Pumpkin' artwork on Naoshima Island, Japan, in August 2018
Wakatobi National Park, Indonesia
'I Can Hear It,' an installation by artist Ivars Drulle on the beach by the villages of Middelkerke and Westende, Belgium
Santa Cruz River, Patagonia, Argentina
Springboks near a waterhole in Etosha National Park, Namibia
Grey seal hitching over a beach in Donna Nook, North Lincolnshire, England
Arctic surfing trip in the Lofoten Islands, Norway for the Lofoten Masters
Bing Today Images
Trullo buildings in Alberobello, Apulia, Italy
Sep 03, 2025
Aerial view of Manhattan, New York City
Sep 03, 2023
Petronas Twin Towers, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Sep 03, 2022
Lujiazui Financial District, Shanghai, China
Sep 03, 2020
Guaita Tower in San Marino
Sep 03, 2019
