Parks As Classrooms

National Parks are America’s largest classrooms. They are living laboratories and history books where science and history can be seen and explored firsthand. On-site field trips are the best way for students to connect the subject matters they learn in the classroom to the resources present in our national parks. At Bandelier, visiting students can safely explore the ruins and archaeological sites in Frijoles Canyon, examine, up close, the culture of the ancestral Pueblo People, and discover the complex ecosystem of the Pajarito Plateau.
Currently all in-park field trip experiences are self-guided. Due to staffing levels park rangers are unable to provided guided education programs. We encourage educators and groups leaders to prepare lesson-plans prior to the visit and pick up a copy of the Main Loop Trail Guide to enhance the educational experience. Supplemental educational materials from related NPS sites and others across the country can be found at the NPS Educators Portal

 

All educational groups visiting Bandelier must observe the following:

• No more than 1 busload per group, a maximum of 65 persons, in Frijoles Canyon at any given time. Groups with multiple buses must stagger their arrival and departure time by at least 60 minutes. Refer to our bus parking page for information on parking and dropping off your group in Frijoles Canyon.
• The group leader must check in with the visitor center upon arrival to present fee waiver or pay fees if needed.
• The group must be under good supervision, and managed by active and responsible chaperones
• The following ratios of adult chaperones to students are required:
  • 1:5 for Elementary aged (1^st – 5^th grades)
  • 1:10 for Middle/High School aged (6^th-12^th grades
  • 1:20 for College aged

Non-commercial group entrance fees apply for educational groups unless they have been granted an Academic Fee Waiver.
Children 15 years and younger – FREE
Adults - $15/person if arriving by bus; $25/vehicle if arriving by car
4^th grade teachers, did you know your students qualify for their very own Every Kid Outdoors 4th Grade Pass ? The Every Kid Outdoors Pass covers entrance fees for the 4^th grader and their family at more than 2000 federal land and water recreation sites. Students who qualify will receive their passes during in-park field trips to Bandelier. Passes will then cover entrance fees for chaperones and accompanying adults.

 

Academic Fee Waivers

The Code of Federal Regulations (36 CFR § 71.13) allows the National Park Service to issue entrance fee waivers for bona fide educational and/or scientific institutions that use the park for educational purposes. Approved academic fee waivers cover entrance fees for all students and the required number of chaperones. Camping fees are separate and not covered by fee waivers. Bona fide educational institutions seeking an Academic fee Waiver must meet the following criteria:

• Criteria 1 - Eligibility: The visit is by a recognized and accredited educational institution.
• Criteria 2 - Educational Purpose: The visit to Bandelier serves an academic purpose.
• Criteria 3 - There is a direct relationship between the purpose of the visit and the use of the park.

To apply for an Academic Fee Waiver, the Bandelier NM Academic Fee Waiver Request Form must be submitted in advance of the planned visit. Fee Waiver Requests must be submitted via email no later than two (two) weeks prior to the date of the trip. Fee waivers will NOT be provided the day of the visit. Incomplete fee waiver requests will not be processed.

Instructions for completing the academic fee waiver request form:

1. Fill out "Section 1: Contact Information"
2. Fill out "Section 2: Group Details – Park Visit/ Field Trip
3. Skip to "Section 5: Academic Fee Waiver" (Note: Bandelier is not offering Classroom Visits or Virtual/Distance Learning programs at this time.)
4. Fill out "Section 5: Academic Fee Waiver". Please describe how your school/academic group meets the three criteria for an academic fee waiver. We may ask for you to submit supporting documentation if further clarification is needed.
5. Fill out "Authorized Name" & "Title", then sign and date

Email completed Fee Waiver Request Form and documentation to: [e-mail]

For more information: email [e-mail] or call [phone] ext.1519

 

View of Tyuonyi Pueblo from the Tyuonyi Overlook.

Photo by Sally King

Youth Groups and Education Groups without an Academic Fee Waiver

• For education groups that did not obtain an academic fee waiver, the fee is $15 per person for anyone 16 years and older. To mitigate overcrowding with same-time multiple group arrival, reservations must made in advance with the visitor center at [phone] x 0.