Place

Falls Trail Tour - Stop 7

Thin, narrow gold and brown leaves, with strings of catkins.
Narrowleaf cottonwood leaves turn gold in the fall.

NPS Photo

Quick Facts

Information Kiosk/Bulletin Board

Note: There is no post currently for Stop 7, so just find a nice shady stop to pause!

In the canyon, water-loving plants like narrowleaf cottonwood (Populus angustifolia) and willow (Salix spp) grow in profusion. Cottonwoods get their names from the cotton-like strands that catch the breeze and transport the seeds. Narrowleaf cottonwood can easily be confused with willows. In early spring, willows are distinguished from cottonwoods because they only have one bud scale, which forms a little cap over the developing flower. Before the flood events in 2011 and 2013, willows were rare in this part of the canyon due to the dominance of ponderosa pine. The pines created a thick overstory that blocked light from the willows. The floods downed many tall pines and deposited fresh soils. The new environment seems to benefit the willows. 

Bandelier National Monument

Last updated: August 12, 2022