Map showing construction area near the Tsankawi Unit. Courtesy NPS
Several projects slated for construction this summer are expected to impact visitors to Bandelier National Monument. Visitors should expect several changes to how and where they can visit the monument. Projects include improvements to the parking area at the Tsankawi Unit and the mesa top parking lot, just past the main entrance. Construction on a new parking lot and entrance to Tsankawi at the intersection of NM Highway 4 and Jemez Road, the ‘Truck Route’, to Los Alamos is expected to begin in June and continue through mid-December.
This work will coincide with other ongoing roadwork by the State of New Mexico in the same stretch of Highway 4. The improvements will make access to this very popular area of Bandelier safer to enter and exit onto the highway by creating a single point of access to the parking area controlled by a traffic signal. The Tsankawi Unit will be closed while the project is underway as there will be no safe alternative for parking. Visitors should also expect delays when traveling on Highway 4 near Tsankawi. Visitors are advised to take this into account when making plans to travel into the area.
Work on a project to increase the number of parking spaces in the mesa top parking area, just above Frijoles Canyon, will start at the same time. Sections of the amphitheater parking lot across from Juniper Campground, adjacent to the Frey Trailhead will be closed throughout construction. Shuttle bus access, bus parking and access to the Frey Trailhead will be available during construction. The Frey Trail provides a beautiful but steep route from the mesa top to the middle of the Pueblo Loop Trail in Frijoles Canyon.
The National Park Service cares for special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage.
Summer 2022 is expected to be busy! Visitation to Bandelier is already significantly higher this year. If you are planning to visit the monument this summer, please be flexible in your schedule. Consider visiting other nearby National Park Service areas such as Manhattan Project National Historical Park in Los Alamos or Valles Caldera National Preserve to learn about and explore more of the human and natural history of the area. There are several museums and a nature center in Los Alamos, offering more to discover. At Bandelier, try hiking one of the less visited trails in the park. Bandelier has over 70 miles of trails, some long and difficult, some shorter and easier.
Bandelier National Monument is open every day from sunrise to sunset. In Frijoles Canyon, the park visitor center and the park store (operated by Western National Parks Association) is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm and the café, Sirphey’s at Bandelier, is open from 9am to 4:30pm.
Park entrance fees are $25 per private vehicle, $20 per motorcycle, or $15 per bicycle/individual. All entrance passes are valid for 7 days. Camping fees are not included in entrance fees. America the Beautiful– the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands passes are accepted for entrance fees. The full suite of America the Beautiful passes as well as Bandelier Annual passes are available for purchase at the visitor center. For more information about types of passes and prices, visit:
https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes.htm.
For information about Bandelier visit http://www.nps.gov/band, call the visitor center, (505) 672-3861, ext. 0. Like us on Facebook BandelierNPS, follow us on Instagram and Twitter@BandelierNPS.
About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 419 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at http://www.nps.gov/ and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.