bandelier national monument

This National Monument is amazing. You hike through Pueblo village, cliff homes, and wonderful scenery. So much history of ancestral pueblos community as well as the Frey family in the early 1900's. Certainly worth a visit!

On a whim, we decided to take the drive from Santa Fe to Bandelier National Monument late in the afternoon, knowing we'd only have an hour or so to explore the area. So glad we made the effort, as this was a wonderful place, no matter how long had. The geology here is so unique - tall cliffs composed of compacted volcanic ash, eroded by wind and water into a Swiss cheese-like lattice that the early inhabitants found suitable for shelter. The loop trail got us up close and personal with the dwellings along Frijoles Canyon, climbing ladders to peer inside the caves at the roofs blackened by fire. Foundations of ground structures were evident along the valley floor. Although the visitor center closed early, the area was open till dusk. Interpretive signs along with the printed guide (loaner copies left outside the visitor center) made it a learning experience.This is a wonderful side trip when visiting Santa Fe. Very highly recommended.

I must admit that part of the reason our day was so excellent was the spectacular weather - 60's and sunny. We took the loop hike which goes out to a number of pueblos. We took the opportunity to climb the ladders to each open room. It gives you the ability to imagine what life might have been like for these peoples. The petroglyphs were different than what I have seen - carved into the rock rather than written on the rock. They are all so interesting!Saw a number of birds- and heard the Sandhill cranes. You can see debris from the flash flood of several years ago. Must have been something. We spent time in the museum which helps give you perspective on the site. We also had sandwiches from the cafe. Better than I was expecting (and considerably better and less expensive than what you can buy on airlines). All of the staff we encountered were friendly and helpful. Lovely experience!

Loved the main hiking trail and climbing ladders to the cliff dwellings. Great ruins, nature, wildlife. This is something we would expect to have to travel to another country, with an archaeologist, to experience.

We drove way out of our way to check this out and it was well worth it. The view was spectacular, the movie at the park service building was informative, and they even have a little restaurant that we didn't try. Well worth our time. Lots of stairs and ladders to see the dwellings so not really handicap accessible.

We've been wanting to visit ruins of the cave dwellings of the Azanazis and Bandelier did not disappoint. We had great fun climbing up the ladders to get into the caves; even the climb up to the alcove house at 140 feet was worth the scare. Loved going there this winter - might try to go again in the summer.

This is an endangered national monument only because it would really be difficult to get fire-fighting equipment into the site. It is not endangered because of lack of interest. I was not crowded by other people at all but several of us shared the experience of climbing up to some of the cliff dwellings. Great place to visit and not too far from Chaco Culture.

Bandelier is a special place. Frijoles Canyon is beautiful, and it also gives you a glimpse of what it was like to live as a cliff dweller hundreds of years ago. You can climb ladders to glimpse into the dwellings, or just walk through the canyon and enjoy the landscape and the magnificent cliffs. The trail also features remains of ancient kivas. Bandelier is bigger than Frijoles Canyon and has several good walking trails of different lengths and difficulty. The monument staff are knowledgeable and friendly. There is also a very good store near the visitors' center, with a selection of Native American jewelry and crafts (a wide price range).

we came here after a visit to the Puye Cliff dwellings. The monument here only has self guided tours available, so if you have time, check out the Puye tour first and then come spend the rest of the day here. There is so much to see and explore,you will get an excellent workout. The dwellings here are amazing and there are artifacts everywhere. My kids loved it!

Bandelier National Monument has 33,000+ acres, 11,000 years of human presence. This includes Petroglyphs, cliff dwellings, pueblo city ruins in the valleys. The Ancestral Pueblo People left artifacts all over the area..The Park has well marked trails where you walk back in time and get close, and in some of the structures. Some of the buildings have been repaired, yet some have stood the test of time. The dessert vegetation, ecology, and view, are very majestic, and inspiring, New Mexico is The Land of Enchantment....it is apparent at Bandelier. The visitor Center Operation Hours are 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM, The park is open daily dawn to dusk except the Visitor Center and Store are closed Thanksgiving Day, and December 25, and January 1. The Entrance fees are reasonable and are listed on the web sits. I drove 97,3 miles, 1 hour 45 minutes from the Comfort in and Suites, Signal St. Albuquerque, New Mexico....Each Way...IT WAS WORTH THE TRIP. The trails,Native American ruins, visitor center and store were EXCELLENT. I purchased postcards and a sweat shirt.....**my college BA in History, and MA Education qualifies me to say that the Bandelier National Monument is an excellent space to explore the past, ecology and Native American.... Trip was with my Mother, 05/2015. no children.. category not below. bring water, snack, and your CAMERA!!! Your GPS may make an error close to the park, and will try to ditch you on the side of the road, no where.. bring your cell phone charger, and cell phone, and the phone number to the park...**Hiking boots, or good sneakers are good idea...climbing, walking - trails, some moderate hiking, some ladders (cliff Dwellings)15 Entrance Rd, Los Alamos, NM 87544(505) 672-3861The Park Rangers are nice, and they will guide you in...They said "The GPS" have sent people to the wrong spot". Call, It will be OK....

We went here after Los alamos and spent a couple hours hiking. We enjoyed climbing into the pueblos and the long house. The trails are well-kept, but the ladders are not for the faint of heart.

Spent the morning at Bandelier on a recent trip to Santa Fe and so glad we did. Very interesting history, and a very pleasant place to take a short walk and see the Pueblo ruins. The Rangers were helpful and friendly, as was the gift shop owner. Don't miss this if you are in the Santa Fe area!

We love hiking there, climbing the ladders, and exploring. Prefer to go in the fall instead of summer, when it is cooler.

We made this as a day trip from SF. We counted ourselves as fortunate since the admission fee was waived for the Presidents' Day weekend.The park is large, with trails for short hikes as well as longer hikes with backcountry camping. After speaking with one of the rangers, we hiked the main loop (1.2 mi) with an excursion to Alcove House (1 mi RT). Trails were well maintained, with steps and hand rails in steep sections. The cliff dwellings were accessible via ladders, which I was unable to manage with my arm in a sling following a recent rotator cuff repair, but it was clear that even children and out of shape adults had no problems climbing up and down the ladders. In addition to the cliff dwellings, there were several petroglyphs that could be seen.Well worth a trip.

Bandelier National Monument is an amazing hands-on experience where not only can you walk through the ruins of an ancient pueblo, but can also explore the caves that overlook it, which were carved into the volcanic tuff by the ancient people who lived there hundreds of years ago. There is a nice loop trail you can take that lets you see quite a bit of the main ruin area, and there are other trails to less-visited ruins if you want to extend the visit or see more. On our most recent visit, I brought my then 6-month old daughter on the main loop trail in a carrier with no problem. Young children would get a kick out of exploring the site and the caves, and learn quite a bit at the same time. The gift shop is one of the best I've visited, and you can also get yummy snacks like green chile stew at the little food area in the gift shop.