Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico
Ancient cliff dwellings carved into soft volcanic rock, reached by wooden ladders in a quiet New Mexico canyon.
Ancient cliff dwellings carved into soft volcanic rock, reached by wooden ladders in a quiet New Mexico canyon.
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Overview
Bandelier National Monument protects more than 33,000 acres of canyon and mesa country on the Pajarito Plateau in northern New Mexico, about an hour's drive from Santa Fe. Its heart is Frijoles Canyon, where Ancestral Pueblo people built homes in cliff alcoves and a large village on the canyon floor between about 1150 and 1550 CE.
Today visitors walk the Pueblo Loop Trail past the Tyuonyi village ruins and the Long House, climb wooden ladders into hand-carved rooms, and scale the tall ladders to Alcove House, 140 feet above the canyon floor. A visitor center museum displays pottery and tools found in the excavations, and more than 70 miles of trails cross the surrounding mesas.
This easy 1.4-mile loop is the heart of the visit, passing the Tyuonyi village ruins, the Long House, and hand-carved rooms in the cliffs. Wooden ladders let you climb inside some of the ancient dwellings.
Tip: Pick up a trail guide at the visitor center for a self-guided tour of the ruins.
A half-mile past the main loop, four steep wooden ladders rise 140 feet to a large shelter cave with a reconstructed ceremonial kiva. The climb is demanding, but the views across the canyon are superb.
Tip: Go early in the day, when the ladders are quieter and the canyon is cooler.
Start at the visitor center to see pottery, tools, and artifacts recovered from the excavations, and to ask rangers about trail conditions. The exhibits give the ruins real context before you walk among them.
Tip: Ask a ranger which trails are open, since conditions can change with weather.
This roughly three-mile round-trip trail follows the creek downstream through the canyon to a waterfall. It is a quieter walk than the main loop, with cottonwoods, canyon walls, and good birdwatching along the way.
Tip: Wear sturdy shoes, as the trail crosses rocky ground and can be slippery near the falls.
Look closely at the canyon walls for petroglyphs left by the people who lived here, and keep an eye out for mule deer, lizards, and birds along the trail.
Tip: Bring binoculars for birdwatching, especially in the cooler morning hours.
About 12 miles from the main canyon, this separate unit has deep foot-worn trails in the soft rock and more cliff dwellings. It is a shorter, less crowded stop with a very different feel.
Tip: Allow about an hour for the loop trail, and wear shoes you do not mind getting dusty.
