Located on the tribal land near Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah Wilderness a bit over an hour south of Farmington, Alien Throne is a hoodoo along the Valley of Dreams trail. Hoodoos, also called tent rocks or fairy chimneys, are spired rock formations formed by erosion from wind, rain, and other flowing water. You’ll find them in regions with the right conditions throughout the world — but arguably, nowhere more spectacular than the American Southwest.
In the layered geological conditions found in parts of this region, softer layers wear down first while harder layers erode slower, creating unique shapes that stand out among normal geological formations.
No two hoodoos look the same. You’ll even often find hoodoos with distinct color patterns due to different mineral composition between layers.
And in our neck of the woods, one of the most famous hoodoos is Alien Throne.
About the Alien Throne hike and how to prepare
Within the Valley of Dreams lies Alien Throne, but it’s not the only hoodoo in the valley — far from it, in fact. The Valley of Dreams loop hike is surrounded by these formations.
This hike is generally described as moderate difficulty, meaning it’s accessible for most experience and fitness levels but that you should, at the same time, prepare appropriately and set the right expectations. (AKA prepare to sweat a bit!)
The most important thing to know about Valley of Dreams is that, while there’s actually very little elevation gain, the terrain can be quite uneven with scattered rocks and soft sand that can make it more strenuous than hikes with comparable gain.
The other important thing to note is that this “trail” actually has very limited official markers – so don’t sleepwalk through it! Really, most of this hike has no actual trail per se, just open badlands and rock terrain. For this reason, we highly recommend either downloading an offline map or, better yet, carrying a physical one with you.
And, if you want to spend more time in the area, much of the surrounding land is owned by the Bureau of Land Management and is available for dispersed camping as long as you respect the land and leave no trace.
Otherwise, some more tips:
Timing: When many people think of hiking, they think of mountainous forested areas with tree canopies that regulate temperature. This could not be less the case here; because the loop is so much rock without shading trees, it’s very exposed to the sun so we recommend timing your hike accordingly.
That means the best time to visit if you don’t want to scorch is earlier or later in the day. Sunrise or just before sunset are ideal to help mitigate high temperatures, with the added bonus of giving you beautiful lighting. On the flip side, we recommend avoiding midday, when the sun is the strongest and the heat is the most intense.
What to bring: In line with all that, you should bring lots of water. Even if you time it right, you’re still exposed in a hot environment, and dehydration is not a joke. Alongside that, between the hike and the heat you’ll be burning a lot of calories, so carry some high energy snacks.
Also, without the well-defined trail, it’s a good idea to carry written directions and a compass alongside your aforementioned map.
What to wear: First, you need comfortable hiking shoes – ideally ones that are specifically-suited to the uneven, rocky desert terrain of this part of New Mexico.
Other than that, consider all the ways the sun can make you miserable if you’re not prepared and dress accordingly. That means sunscreen. It also means you should consider a brimmed or billed hat that gives your face good coverage and high-quality sunglasses.
Getting to Alien Throne and the Valley of Dreams
From Farmington, there are a couple options to get to the Valley of Dreams, with highway 371 south bringing you through via the west side and highway 550 entering from the east. Whichever route you choose, after about 45 minutes on the highway you’ll end up turning onto dirt service roads to finish the drive to the trailhead. (You can find more directions on AllTrails, too.)
Because of the service road portion of the drive, we recommend having a decent four- or all-wheel drive vehicle with high enough ground clearance to handle the more uneven terrain, rocks, etc.
And keep an eye out for horses on the service roads! Both because it’s fun to see horses but, more importantly, so you don’t accidentally hit one.
And last — but definitely not least: We highly recommend downloading or at least screenshotting your map before leaving Farmington; once you’re further out, service can be limited and it’s no one’s idea of a fun time to go “Wait… Where were we supposed to turn? Fifteen miles ago, maybe?”
Other activities nearby Alien Throne
If you’re hiking to Alien Throne but staying nearby, there are lots of other things to see and do, especially if you like exploring nature, history, culture, and the intersection of all three.
With such geologically rich surroundings, you’ll find other unique formations like the Three Wise Men, King of the Winds, or Alien Egg Hatchery. There are also guided tours of local sites by Navajo Tours USA, including the Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah Wilderness, home to Alien Throne. Local cultural sites like Chaco Culture National Historical Park or Aztec Ruins National Monument are nearby too, with extensive Ancestral Puebloan relics.
Of course, we’re biased, but if you’re in the area for a while, staying in Farmington is a pretty good bet! You’ll find hotels, motels, and campsites available – Brown Springs Campground, Silver River Adobe Inn, Home Suites Farmington, or camping at Bisti Badlands or Chaco Culture National Historical Park – and plenty of dining, shopping, and sipping options.
We hope to see you in our unique part of the world! Whether you’re a hiker, photographer, artist, geology nerd, or just general lover of the outdoors, we think this is a great place to come see for yourself.