The impacts of up to 3% salt contamination and temperature in the range of 25 degrees C to 75 degrees C on the bentonite drilling muds were investigated. The rheological and resistivity properties of 2% and 8% bentonite based drilling muds were experimentally measured and modeled. The shear thinning stress-shear strain rate relationship was measured and modeled. Finally, a nonlinear model was used to predict the electrical resistivity (rho), yield shear stress (tau(o)), maximum shear stress (tau(max)) and the parameters of the drilling mud model to the bentonite content, temperature and salt content and the predictions agreed well with the experimental results.