The United States Congress designated the Bandelier Wilderness in 1976 and it now has a total of 23,267 acres. All of the wilderness is in New Mexico and is managed by the National Park Service. The Bandelier Wilderness is bordered by and the Dome Wilderness to the west.
From the ninth to the thirteenth centuries, a large population of prehistoric people (known today as the Anasazi) flourished among the cream and tan cliffs and pi?on-juniper-forested mesas of the Four Corners region. The dramatic setting, now Bandelier National Monument, showcases deep gorges sculpted by running water, and canyons slashing the slopes of the Pajarita Plateau. The people eventually disappeared, but they left a fine legacy: exquisite ruins in a desert oasis. Access to the oasis, known as Frijoles Canyon, is easy from within the monument.
With 90 percent of the monument beyond the oasis designated Wilderness--equal to some 50 square miles with 70-plus miles of trails--Bandelier offers a mixed bag of scenery. Hikers will inevitably encounter challenging terrain, sweeping mesa tops, lush canyons, and isolated ruins. Hiking choices vary wildly: three miles one-way to the gorges of Alamo Canyon; five miles one-way to the pueblo ruins of Yapashi; a 20-mile loop to the Stone Lions Shrine and the Painted Cave; and about eight miles one-way to the densely forested upper Frijoles Canyon along El Rito de los Frijoles (Bean Creek). Three westbound trails leave the monument to enter Dome Wilderness. Pets and campfires are not allowed in the monument's Wilderness.
Comments
Be the first to leave a comment, advice, or personal anecdote.
Leave a Comment