• 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 »

Tuff

tuff block wall

The Ancestral Pueblo people made walls out of blocks of tuff.

photo by sally king

The Rock
Tuff is a pinkish-tan rock which forms from volcanic ash flows that consolidate into thick layers of soft rock. The cliffs you see throughout Frijoles Canyon are tuff.

The Uses
Because tuff is relatively soft and light, it could be carved with hand tools to create cavates and shaped into blocks for building houses.

Did You Know?

Katydid

Katydids are often called leaf hoppers.  Their wings and body look like vegetation, a form of camouflage which offers this insect some protection from predators.