On
the Pajarito Plateau -- 10 miles from the town of Los
Alamos -- successive groups of prehistoric Indians lived,
hunted and farmed. The earliest occupation by natives is
dated from about 2010 BC, with later development around
670 bc. The Archaic People, as they are known, were
nomadic hunters, moving about in family
groups.
By
ad 1300, the Anasazi had left the Four Corners region and
some had moved into Frijoles Canyon. They built large
pueblo structures in the canyon as well as small villages
on the mesas where they grew crops. They also farmed on
the bottomland of the canyon, growing beans, squash, and
corn. With ample supplies of game and fertile farmlands,
the Pajaritan culture survived here for 300 years. Cliff
dwellings were carved out of volcanic tuff above the
creek.These settlements comprise the area preserved in
Bandelier National Monument.
There
was much volcanic activity in the formation of the Jemez
Mountains. Prime evidence of this is Valle Grande, the
huge caldera seen from Highway 4 west of Bandelier. There
are several hot springs in the region which add to the
pleasure of a visit to this significant historic
site.
Bandelier
and the area near Los Alamos was the scene of the great
Year 2000 fire which devastated part of the town and the
park. The fire did not impact the sections of the park
most visited by tourists.
How
to Get There
The
monument is 46 miles west of Santa Fe via U.S. 285/84
north to Pojoaque, and then west on N.M. Route 4 for
another 24 miles. From Albuquerque, drive north on I-25
and U.S. Hwy. 85 to Santa Fe and take U.S. Route 285/84
and Highway 4. Total mileage from Albuquerque to the
ruins in 105 miles.
What
to See & Do
Bandelier
National Monument contains fascinating ruins of the early
Pueblo dwellers, including the Tyuonyi Pueblo, the
Ceremonial Cave and -- by a mile-long trail -- the
Frijolito Ruin. Named for one of the first European
discoverers of the site, Adolph F. Bandelier, the
monument attracts thousands of people each year. A
businessman consumed with the study of native cultures,
Bandelier became an explorer and researcher and is
considered to be the first anthropologist of the
Southwest region. Today's visitors are left in awe, as
was Bandelier, at the complex culture that developed in
Frijoles Canyon.
Park
Trails
The
visitor center is located at the end of the entrance
road, at the beginning of Frijoles Canyon, with the
Tyuonyi Pueblo nearby. An interpretive trail leads to the
cave dwellings, and the Ceremonial Cave is reached by
climbing a series of ladders farther along. You can also
hike in the canyon to the Rio Grande. Seventy miles of
trails lead into the backcountry, giving hikers and
backpackers entry to a huge wilderness area that is part
of the monument preserve. Permits are required to travel
these trails, which lead to remote canyons and additional
ruins. A hike to the Stone Lions shrine offers a 12-mile
round trip. Painted Cave is reached via a 20-mile round
trip.
Tsankiwi
Pueblo
A
separate unit of the monument is located along Route 4,
11 miles north of the main entrance road. Tsankiwi is a
mesa-top pueblo that has been left in an unexcavated
state. A trail leads across these ruins and beside
another set of cave dwellings.
