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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 »
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Alcove House To Close
Alcove House, with its 140 ft climb on stairs and ladders, will be closed to all visitor access from June 10 to August 22, 2013 while important stabalization work is done on the Alcove House kiva. More »
Stone Tools
Obsidian was quarried in the local area. Photo by Sally King Obsidian, a form of volcanic glass, was mined in the local area. Obsidian is very hard and breaks in very sharp edges, making it an excellent choice for arrowpoints and scrappers. The local obsidian is good quality for tool making and was traded far and wide. 
Basalt was used mostly for pounding and cutting tools. NPS Collection Basalt is also a very hard, dark rock. It was used mostly for pounding and cutting tools such as hammers and axes. Like obsidian, basalt is found locally mostly in the southern section of the monument. |
Did You Know?
Tarantula hawk hatchlings feed on the still living body of a tarantula captured by their mother. The mother tarantula hawk must fight the tarantula and then drag it to a burrow where she deposits an egg.