Today we visited the
Bandelier National Monument and loved it!
Bandelier is about a two-hour drive from our campground at Kirtland AFB - an interesting and easy drive. We went up through the Santa Fe area, over to White Rock, and then on to the monument.
Bandelier National Monument preserves the homes and territory of the Ancestral Pueblo People. Most of the pueblo structures date from 1150 to 1600 CE. The Monument is 50 square miles of the Pajarito Plateau, on the slopes of the Jemez Volcanic field in the Jemez Mountains.
Over 70% of the Monument is Wilderness, with over one mile elevation change, from about 5,000 feet along the Rio Grande to over 10,000 feet at the peak of Cerro Grande on the rim of the Valles Caldera, providing for a wide range of life zones and wildlife habitat. There are only three miles of road, but over 70 miles of hiking trails.
The Monument protects Ancestral Pueblo archeological sites, a diverse and scenic landscape, and the country's largest National Park Service Civilian Conservation Corps National Landmark District.
We really enjoyed exploring the Pueblo ruins, the cliff dwellings and the amazing landscape. HIGHLY recommended!
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| Pueblo Ruins |
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| Along the Cliff |
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| A Cliff Dwelling |
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| Part of the same Cliff Dwelling |
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| Entrance to a Cliff Dwelling |
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| Foliage Abounds |
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| A Portion of the Cliffs |
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