Attractions and Places To See in Bandelier National Monument - Top 20

The trail passes by large panels of petroglyphs (carved pictures), that are thought to be hundreds of years old. Although their exact meaning is unknown, they are most likely not a type of written language, but rather held deep spiritual and artistic significance to ancient (and modern) indigenous people. There are many petroglyphs in this area, so be sure to take your time to try to find all of them - many of them blend in with their surroundings! Like in most archeological sites, please do not touch these ancient carvings.

The cavetes are located just below the ancient central village plaza in the cliff bands that make up the mesa. These cavates (human excavated cavities) were places where people could take shelter from the elements; the thick stone walls provided insulation from both the cold of winter and heat of summer. Talus pueblos were also most-likely constructed in front of the entrance to the cavates to further protect people from wind, rain, snow, and perhaps most importantly in the desert, heat. Please only enter cavetes that are immediately adjacent to the trail - the other cavets are dangerous to access.

This alcove is located 140 feet above the floor of Frijoles Canyon and once housed 25 Ancestral Pueblo people. The Alcove House is now accessed by a series of wooden ladders.

The trail passes by large panels of petroglyphs (carved pictures), that are thought to be hundreds of years old. Although their exact meaning is unknown, they are most likely not a type of written language, but rather held deep spiritual and artistic significance to ancient (and modern) indigenous people. There are many petroglyphs in this area, so be sure to take your time to try to find all of them - many of them blend in with their surroundings! Like in most archeological sites, please do not touch these ancient carvings.

The cavetes are located just below the ancient central village plaza in the cliff bands that make up the mesa. These cavates (human excavated cavities) were places where people could take shelter from the elements; the thick stone walls provided insulation from both the cold of winter and heat of summer. Talus pueblos were also most-likely constructed in front of the entrance to the cavates to further protect people from wind, rain, snow, and perhaps most importantly in the desert, heat. Please only enter cavetes that are immediately adjacent to the trail - the other cavets are dangerous to access.

This spot is near where the center ancient Tsankawi Village once stood. From here you get fantastic views out over the mesa of Jémez Mountains to the west, the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and the Española Valley to the east, and about 70 miles south you can see the Sandia Mountains, near Albuquerque. In addition to the natural high ground that the mesa afforded the Indigenous people and caves that dot the cliffsides, there used to be tall defensive walls to protect this central plaza. You can see the remains of these walls and other structures as well as pottery shards. Collecting these important historical artifacts is illegal and even moving them from one spot to another in the village can disrupt our understanding of the area. As you leave this area you get to walk on ancient pathways carved into the rock itself. There are some ancient small stone steps carved in the cliffs, but please stick to the ladders rather than climb the steps.

This alcove is located 140 feet above the floor of Frijoles Canyon and once housed 25 Ancestral Pueblo people. The Alcove House is now accessed by a series of wooden ladders.

Bandelier National Monument was designated as a natural monument in 1916 by President Woodrow Wilson to preserve the homes and territory of the Ancestral Puebloans. Most of the pueblo structures in the monument date back to between 1150 and 1600 AD.