Place

View into Frijoles Canyon Tyuonyi Overlook Trail Stop 6

a steep walled canyon with pointed mountain peaks in the distance
You can see the San Miguel Mountains in the distance to the west.

NPS

Quick Facts

Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Scenic View/Photo Spot

What an amazing view looking down into Frijoles Canyon, Tyuonyi, and the park visitor center. Some of the same people who lived in that village may have lived here on the mesa during planting season. Movement to and from the canyon to the mesa, and even to distant places, was common. To your left you can see the Frey Trail that carries visitors from the canyon to Juniper Campground. Although today it is a wide dirt trail it was probably a much simpler path in Ancestral Pueblo times. Would you have wanted to hike up from the canyon carrying the farming implements you would need to plant your fields? Imagine how different this view would have been with the many standing structures and farm fields across this mesa during the time the Ancestral Pueblo people called it home.

If you haven’t done so already, it is highly recommended that you walk the Pueblo Loop Trail you see below. Best times are early or late in the day. You will get a closeup view of many of the canyon’s archeological sites.

Bandelier National Monument

Last updated: October 10, 2024