• overview of Long House

    Bandelier

    National Monument New Mexico

  • Access to Frijoles Canyon Will Be Limited

    Starting June 1, 2012 all access to the most visited part of the park, Frijoles Canyon, will be via a shuttle bus from the nearby community of White Rock. This is to alleviate a parking shortage created by the Las Conchas Fire. More details to follow.

A Place of Diversity

upper falls in autumn

photo by sally king

Frijoles Creek drops over two waterfalls on its way to the Rio Grande.

Frijoles Creek begins on the snowy slopes of the 10,199-foot-high Cerro Grande Peak. Carving its way down through the Pajarito Plateau for over fourteen miles before entering the winding Rio Grande, Frijoles Creek drops about 4,000 feet. This dramatic change in elevation on the Pajarito Plateau creates climate differences that support a wide diversity of life. This diversity made the area livable for the Ancestral Pueblo people, providing them with food, medicine, clothing, and supplies.

Did You Know?

Western Pygmy Blue butterfly

Western Pygmy Blue butterflies are the smallest butterflies in North America.  They have wingspans of just .5 to .6 inches.