Bandelier National Monument

Tsankawi (sank-ah-WEE) Prehistoric Sites 

This is a lesser visited and lesser developed unit of Bandelier National Monument.

The one-and-a-half-mile trail has three ladders and a narrow cliff walk.

This trail through the sandstone is evidence of the number of Puebloans that walked through this area in the distant past.

Some sections of these ancient paths were very deep.

From the mesa top we had an excellent view of the Jemez Mountains to the west and the Sangre de Christo (Blood of Christ) Mountains and the Rio Grande Valley to the South.

The mesa top was covered in interesting plants

Bandelier National Monument

Due to limited parking, access to Frijoles Canyon, the main area of Bandelier, is by free shuttle bus from the city of White Rock, about 12 winding miles away. The monument is named after Adolf Bandelier who spent many years excavating the pueblos in the area.

The shuttle bus delivers you to the front door of the Visitor Center.

The paved trail to the cliff dwellings begins behind the Visitor Center.

Tyuonyi Pueblo 1400's

Looking back from above.

These cliffs are not sandstone, but compressed ash called Tuff.

The Tuff was deposited by the massive Valles Caldera volcano eruption in prehistoric times.

The Tuff was very soft and easily carved by stone tools.

Long House is an 800-foot stretch of adjoining, multi-storied stone homes with hand-carved caves as back rooms.

Returning via shuttle to the city of White Rock, we stopped at the White Rock Overlook to view the Rio Grande River Valley.

Sunset over Abiquiu Lake