Photo by Sally King

Hikes vary in length and difficulty. Plan your trip, take plenty of water, and watch for wildlife.

Bandelier National Monument has over 70 miles of trail within its boundaries and many more miles that connect out into the adjacent Santa Fe National Forest Lands. The most popular of these trails are the Main Loop Trail and Alcove House Trail (click on the Short Trails highlight to the right) which are accessed from the visitor center in Frijoles Canyon. These trails take you to many Ancestral Pueblo sites.

The Falls Trail is another trail that is very popular (click on the Short Trails highlight to the right). It takes you past two beautiful waterfalls and ultimately to the Rio Grande. There are no archeological sites on this trail.

Bandelier also offers opportunities for much longer hikes (click on the Long Trails highlight to the right). Permits are available for overnight stays in much of Bandelier's backcountry (click on the Backpacking highlight to the right).