Bandalier, New Mexico, USA

The main attraction of the monument for the casual visitor is Frijoles Canyon, containing the (restored) ruins of a number of dwellings, kivas (ceremonial structures), rock paintings and petroglyphs. Some of the dwellings were rock structures built on the canyon floor; others were “cave dwellings” produced by voids in the tuff of the canyon wall and enlarged by human action; and still others were constructed of rock but used the canyon wall as the back wall of rooms. A 1-mile (1.6 km), predominantly paved loop trail from the visitors’ center affords access to these features. A spur trail extending beyond this loop leads to Alcove House (formerly called Ceremonial Cave, and still so identified on some maps), a shelter cave produced by erosion of the soft tuff and containing a small, restored kiva that the hiker may enter via ladder.

A large collection of structures at the monument were built during the Great Depression by the Civilian Conservation Corps, constituting the largest assembly of CCC-built structures in a National Park area that has not been altered by new structures in the district. This group of 31 buildings illustrates the guiding principles of National Park Service Rustic architecture.

Other, primitive trails enter the backcountry, which contains additional ruins, canyon/mesa country, and some transient waterfalls. Hikes to many of these areas are feasible and range in length from short (<1 hour) excursions to multi-day backpacks (permits required for overnight trips). Unfortunately, some of the backcountry ruins have been submerged, damaged, or rendered inaccessible by Cochiti Lake, a reservoir on the Rio Grande created to reduce seasonal flooding that threatened communities and agricultural areas downstream.

A detached portion of the monument called the Tsankawi unit is near the town of Los Alamos and offers the day hiker a chance to see ruins and petroglyphs in an unrestored condition. Also at the Tsankawi unit are ruins of the home and school for Indians established by Baroness Vera von Blumenthal and her lover Rose Dougan (or Dugan).

In the upper elevations of the monument, Nordic skiing is possible on a small network of trails reachable from New Mexico Highway 4. However, not every winter produces snowfall sufficient to allow good skiing.