Bandelier National Monument

Bandelier National Monument is one of the Southwest's Most Important Sites

The Anasazi ruins at Bandelier National Monument are said by some to be one of the two most important Indian ruin sites in the state of New Mexico, the other being Chaco Canyon. The community in the Frijoles Canyon on the Pajarito Plateau was settled around 1150 A. D., possibly by refugees from Chaco. Several hundred farmers lived in a pueblo on the valley floor and in dwellings built on the nearby cliffs. By the mid-sixteenth century many of its inhabitants had drifted away, and the San Ildefonso Pueblo claims to be among their descendents.

In 1880, Swiss-American ethographer Adolph Bandelier first visited the ruins, and the park is named in his honor. Bandelier National Monument covers over 33,000 acres and has 70 miles of trails, but it only has 3 miles of roads. The most interesting ruins are near the end of the road at the Visitor Center.

Things to Do at Bandelier

Start at the Visitor Center where you can view a ten-minute orientation film and take the ranger's help to planning your visit. Just outside the Visitor Center door, check to find out if any ranger-led walks or other programs are scheduled during your visit.

If you want to explore on your own, the main trail into the Frijoles Canyon will take you on a 1.25-mile hike to explore the excavated pueblo and abandoned cliff dwellings. You will hike along the canyon floor below the pink stone layered over a soft white volcanic stone that has weathered into a "Swiss cheese" texture.

Buy a trail guide for $1 in the Visitor Center. It will help you understand what you see. The main trail is paved, and the walk to the pueblo is flat. To see the cliff dwellings, you will have to climb some short sections of steep stairs. Sturdy handrails are provided along most of the trail when they're needed. The most interesting stops on your walk will be:

• Kivas - There are three kivas, or ceremonial chambers, along the trail. Please be respectful of them.

• Tyuonyi (chow-OHN-yee) - The excavated pueblo, constructed in a circular shape, was once home to about 100 individuals and had some 400 rooms in two stories.

• Cliff Dwellings - The soft volcanic rock is relatively easy to carve, and many natural caves were enlarged to create rooms. In front of the cave-rooms, rocks from the bottom of the cliff were used to make walls for cliffside homes. There are ladders in a couple of locations to allow visitors to see inside the caves where the ceilings are still sooty-black from fires and some ancient decorations remain visible on clay-plastered walls.

• Long House - An 800-foot-long multi-story dwelling that Adolph Bandelier called "the grandest thing I ever saw," Cliff house is mostly ruined, but the cliff is pockmarked with holes that once held the vigas to support its multiple stories.

The Ceremonial Cave is another one-mile round trip walk from the Long House. There is a steep climb to get there, and the trip is not recommended for those with health problems or a fear of heights.

Practicalities

Bandelier National Monument is about 48 miles from Santa Fe. Take 285/84 north from Santa Fe to Pojoauque, then go west on NM 502 to NM 4.

Bandelier is particularly busy in late spring and summer, when the wait for a parking place can be over half an hour. During busy holidays, the park may turn people away temporarily if it gets too busy. Early spring and fall are less crowded, and cooler.

The only individual campground in the park, Juniper Canyon, is open on a first-come, first-served basis from approximately March through November. There is also a group camp available by reservation.

If you plan to visit, bring water (or buy a water bottle at the Visitor Center). Although the walk sounds short, the 6,000-foot altitude and dry air make one thirsty very quickly. Hats and lots of sunscreen are also necessities. Keep the altitude in mind when planning your activities.

If You Liked Bandelier, You May Also Like:

• Canyon de Chelly, Arizona
• Mesa Verde, Colorado
• Palatki Heritage Site, Sedona, Arizona
• Montezuma Castle, Sedona, Arizona
• Wupatki National Monument, Arizona