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Bandelier National MonumentPhoto of Duchess' Castle, with north mesa in background
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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. 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.
Aspen fall color  

Did You Know?
All the aspens in a cluster will change colors at approximately the same time. That's because in a grouping of aspens, most are clones that grew as root sprouts from the original plant.

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Last Updated: November 04, 2007 at 10:27 EST