• Tyuonyi Pueblo and Big Kiva from Frey Trail

    Bandelier

    National Monument New Mexico

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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 »

  • 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 »

Rio Grande and Delta Wetlands

Water Strider

Water striders can be found in the waters of Frijoles Creek and the Rio Grande.

Photo by Sally King

In the arid environment of New Mexico, rain and snow are what ultimately sustain all life. The Rio Grande flows through Bandelier supporting a wide variety of plants and animals. It was important to the Ancestral Pueblo people for fishing, drinking water, and farming.
 
Killdeer

Killdeer frequent the marshy areas along the Rio Grande.

Photo by Sally King

Locally the river is heavily influenced by the presence of Cochiti dam built in the 1970s. The flow of the river has slowed, the temperature of the water has risen, and sedimentation has increased. The introduction of non-native fish species threaten native fish populations such as the Rio Grande cutthroat trout. The Rio Grande is still a very important habitat for many birds such as the sandhill crane, killdeer, and bald eagle. Animals that once roamed the shores of the river but were eliminated by human activity may someday return.
 
Sandhill Crane
Sandhill Cranes follow the Rio Grande during migration.
Photo by Sally King
 
Rio Grande Wetland
Rio Grande wetlands provide excellent habitats for frogs, birds, and a variety of insects.
Photos by Sally King

Did You Know?

Upper Falls

Frijoles Creek drops approximately 80 feet over the Upper Falls.  The falls occur where the waters of Frijoles Creek hit the more resistant, dense basalt rock from the neck of an ancient volcano.