The Wadi Rum Protected Area has two distinct regions This concentration of iron oxide causes a red colouration and is one notable aspect of Wadi Rum. Across southern Jordan, places get their names from the ochre hues in the sand, including the Nabatean city of Petra.

The stunning, deep red hue of Jordan's Wadi Rum desert—often called the "Valley of the Moon"—is primarily due to the high concentration of iron oxide (rust) within its sandstone and granite rock formations. Geologically, the area is composed of Palaeozoic sandstones that are roughly 400 to 500 million years old. Over millions of years, the iron-rich minerals in the rock have weathered and oxidized, coating the sand grains in a thin layer of iron oxide. This is the same process that gives the planet Mars its reddish appearance, which is why Wadi Rum is frequently used as a filming location for movies set on the Red Planet, such as The Martian. The color intensity varies throughout the day depending on the angle of the sun; it can shift from a pale pink in the midday glare to a fiery, blood-red during the "golden hour" of sunset. This iron-rich sand, combined with the dramatic towering cliffs and white Ordovician sandstone domes in certain sections, creates a multi-colored geological landscape that is unique to this protected wilderness area.