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Bandelier National Monument
Painted Cave
Painted Cave

NPS Photo by Dale Coker

Painted Cave, with its numerous pictographs (painted drawings), is a unique archeological site in the backcountry of Bandelier.

There are two access points to start a hike to Painted Cave: the visitor center or the Dome Trailhead. The round-trip hike from the visitor center is 22 miles up and down steep-walled canyons on switchbacked trails with no reliable access to water. This strenuous hike is not considered to be appropriate as a day-hike. The round-trip from Dome Trailhead, which is located off of Forest Service Road 142, is 14.5 miles. This trailhead can be accessed only by high clearance vehicles. Wet weather or downed trees can make the trailhead inaccessible by vehicle.

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Macaw

Did You Know?
Ancestral Pueblo people traded items such as fine quality obsidian and pottery from this area for items such as macaws, copper bells, and seashells from distant lands.
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Last Updated: November 24, 2011 at 13:15 MST