Categories: Latest Parks

Bandelier National Monument

a ladder leading to the cliffside dwellings

It’s hard to imagine living here in the base of a cliff as Native Americans did over 11,000 years ago. The petroglyphs and structures they left behind leave no doubt that the Pueblo peoples did. They farmed the mesas until the land gave out and they moved on.

woodpecker in a tree
an ancient petroglyph
The cliff face towers above where the dwellings are.
pine trees in front of the cliff
A small interior doorway looks more like a window.
a ladder leading to the cliffside dwellings
tiny doorway
two deer at Bandelier
woodpecker in a tree an ancient petroglyph The cliff face towers above where the dwellings are. pine trees in front of the cliff A small interior doorway looks more like a window. a ladder leading to the cliffside dwellings tiny doorway two deer at Bandelier

I found Bandelier fascinating. The sky was blue and the air was hot when I visited. Climbing a ladder to look into the cliffside dwellings was amazing, and I couldn’t imagine how they did it without the ladder!

Bandelier National Monument is located north of Albuquerque, just west of Santa Fe. If you’re nearby, you should definitely stop in for a visit.

Fee

Activities

Backpacking | Boating | Camping | Hiking | Picnicking

Amenities

Dump Station | Gift Shop | Picnic Tables | Toilets | Visitor Center/Museum/Environmental Education Center | Water Fountains

Features

Canyon | Cultural Significance | Desert

More informationa about Bandelier National Monument cand be found at the National Park Service website.

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