Bandelier National Monument Travel Guide

 goodfish Says:  The Ancestral people carved images of animals, anthropomorphic figures, spirals and other shapes into the rock at various places on the mesa. This isn't just decoration: they're believed to have had deep significance to the people of that time and may have been a form of... 

 goodfish Says:  On top of the mesa is the unexcavated village of Tsankawi. It resembled the pueblo at Frijoles Canyon (Tyuonyi) in having had several stories with a central plaza but the layout provided in the guide indicates more than one entrance. It also may have had a reservoir for... 

 goodfish Says:  A junction partway through Main Loop Trail takes you 1/2 mile through the forest to Alcove House: a large shelf in the canyon wall 140 feet above the ground. Here you'll see storage niches and holes in the cave walls left from wooden beams (vigas) that supported long-gone... 

 goodfish Says:  All sorts of wildflowers bloom in the canyon from spring until fall. When we were there in September, most of them were yellow but they also come in blues, lavenders, reds, oranges and pastels. As at any U.S. national or state park, take the daisies home in your camera:... 

 goodfish Says:  Just as at the Frijoles Canyon section, you'll see cavates at Tsankawi but those you're allowed to explore are all at ground level: no ladders. By all means crawl in and take a look but be gentle and do check for snakes first. Not all sections with cavates visible from the... 

 goodfish Says:  The Ancestors who lived here carved or simply wore stairways and toe-trails into the rock to reach different levels of the mesa. You'll see many of these along the way but you're asked not to climb them unless they're clearly marked as part of the trail. Today's footwear is... 

 goodfish Says:  Ancient inhabitants carved out small living, storage and ceremonial alcoves, called cavates, from pockets left in the soft rock layer of volcanic ash (tuff) deposited during a massive eruption a million years ago. Ceilings were smoke-cured to reduce crumbling of the tuff,... 

 Toughluck Says:  On a warm sunny weekend afternoon, the lines of cars waiting to get into the park can extend more than 2 miles from the gate. Because the parking lot in the canyon is so small, it will not hold many vehicles and will fill up quickly. If you don't have much time or don't want... 

 goodfish Says:  Seeing wildlife is a highlight for many visitors to Bandelier but it's better to connect with them with your camera than with your bumper or some tender part of your person! Keep an eye out for deer on your drive in, and snakes above/under/around anywhere you place a... 

 goodfish Says:  Different seasons at Bandelier can bring weather-related challenges. Summers are sunny, hot and dry and some trails, such as Main Loop, have little shade so bringing lots of water, hats and sunscreen is a must. Sudden afternoon thunderstorms with heavy downpours and... 

 Toughluck Says:  Bandelier includes over 35,000 acres of wilderness. While we think of wilderness in terms of wild animals and a landscape unaffected by human impacts, Bandeliers is different. Nearly every acres of the park is an archeological treasure. It is all protected under the Federal... 

 Toughluck Says:  Bandelier is the ancestral home of the San Ildefonso Pueblo (Tsankawi) and the Chochiti Pueblo (Yapashi). It is also has a sacred site - Stone Lions - that several different Pueblos honor. So stop and see one of the many pueblos in the valley. Respect the local signs...