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Access by Shuttle Bus Only
Starting May 24, 2013 all access to the most visited part of the park, Frijoles Canyon, will be via a mandatory shuttle bus from the nearby community of White Rock from 9 AM - 3 PM daily. Private cars may drive in before 9 AM or after 3 PM. More »
Paleoindians
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Paleoindian hunters were the first humans to use the Pajarito Plateau, arriving here more than 11,000 years ago.
This Clovis point (left side of image) is approximately 12,000 years old. It is one of the oldest artifacts found in Bandelier. The point, mounted on a spear, was used for hunting large animals and was propelled by an atlatl. NPS Museum Collection Groups of Paleoindians followed the movement of large, now-extinct species of ancient bison and mammoths. For the hunt, they crafted stone spear points and cutting tools, such as the Clovis point seen here. To improve their hunting success, they propelled their sharp spears with an altatl. This tool improved the power and distance a spear could be thrown. Warming temperatures and the extinction of many species of large animals brought an end to the Paleoindian lifestyle. |
Did You Know?
The Ancestral Pueblo people made blankets from wet turkey feathers twisted into yucca twine. Turkeys and dogs were the two domesticated animals that lived side by side with the Ancestral Pueblo people.