Flutie says:

It’s pretty upsetting that this park is named Bandelier. I mean, Adolph Bandelier was a white guy from Switzerland who didn’t set foot in the Frijoles Canyon until 1880. Meanwhile the Cochiti, San Felipe, Santo Domingo, San Ildefonso, Santa Clara, and Zuni Pueblo people were farming and foraging throughout this valley peacefully and prosperously for over 10,000 years!

Then, a mere 140 years ago, some white, European anthropologist showed up, figured out how incredible the place was, and sat down to pen a novel about the looming, sheer cliffs; the year-round stream; such unbelievable cave-room architecture – and our government officials promptly named the whole place after him!

That said, I loved, loved, loved this hike, simply because as you walk through the canyon, in between the rushing river and soaring cliffs, you can still see the various openings where ancestral Pueblo people lived. Standing there, peering up, it’s easy to imagine stone dwellings lining the base of the cliffs, their Ponderosa Pine ladders zig-zagging up and down, complete with hanging decks jutting out from some of the higher caves.

It’s really an incredibly beautiful setting, and to actually climb up into some of the caves and walk through the remains of these ancient arenas makes this not just a hike, but a visual history immersion lesson unlike any other.

The Pueblo people themselves called the village below Tyuonyi (QU-weh-nee) and by the mid-1200’s there were as many as 500 people living here.

 

The hike through the canyon can be as long as you like, with overnight camping available, but on this day Stu and I did the easiest possible route. We started at the Visitor Center and simply followed the Main Loop Trail, about two and half miles total. We did climb up into one of the caves, but passed on the others, particularly the Alcove House, whose ladders soar up 140 feet.

 

Along the way we met an impressive and friendly German student, traveling all across the US, visiting our National Parks. We talked with him a great deal as we strolled along, and all in all the whole experience was kind of magical, even with wind, rain, and thunder and nary a drink in sight.

 

I consider Bandelier a remarkable jewel of a hike, worthy of a trip to New Mexico all on its own. Now if we could only change the name! 

P.S. The drive there is dramatic and gorgeous, as well, but beware the wind…it blew my pants off, literally!

Stu says:

This is why travel with Flutie is so fun.  You literally never know when the pants are going to come off.