Bandelier National Monument, Archaeological site in Los Alamos and Sandoval Counties, United States.
The monument spans 33,677 acres across the Pajarito Plateau, featuring ancient cliff dwellings, petroglyphs, and masonry walls within volcanic rock formations.
Established in 1916 and named after anthropologist Adolph Bandelier, the site preserves Ancestral Puebloan settlements dating from 1150 to 1600 CE.
The monument contains artifacts from 23 tribal nations, including pottery, tools, and communal structures that reflect early Native American lifestyles.
Visitors access the main archaeological sites through trails that connect to parking areas, with ladders leading to elevated dwelling locations.
The Civilian Conservation Corps constructed facilities in the 1930s using local materials that maintain their architectural significance today.
Location: Sandoval County
Location: Los Alamos County
Inception: February 11, 1916
Website: https://nps.gov/band
GPS coordinates: 35.77890,-106.32100
Latest update: March 2, 2025 19:50
The southwestern United States encompasses desert landscapes, sandstone formations and archaeological sites from several pre-Columbian cultures. The region spans Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado, featuring geological structures shaped over millions of years by wind and water erosion. National parks such as Canyonlands and Capitol Reef display canyons, mesas and rock spires in shades of red, orange and ochre. The area preserves evidence of the Ancestral Puebloans, who built cliff dwellings and communal structures between the 12th and 14th centuries. Sites like Bandelier National Monument and Gila Cliff Dwellings provide access to these habitations. Chaco Culture National Historical Park documents a pre-Hispanic trading center with multistory stone complexes. Petroglyphs at locations such as Three Rivers and the petrified trees of Petrified Forest National Park offer additional historical records. The Navajo Nation administers Monument Valley and the Navajo Zoo, while Hubbell Trading Post operates as a functioning 19th-century trading post. Volcanic features mark Sunset Crater and El Malpais, while White Sands covers more than 275 square miles (700 square kilometers) of gypsum dunes. Glen Canyon and the man-made Lake Cochiti provide water access in this largely arid region. Elevation differences range from the Organ Pipe Cactus Desert to Great Basin National Park with its ridges above 13,000 feet (3,900 meters).
New Mexico combines natural formations and historical sites. The region includes caves, desert landscapes, volcanic areas, pueblo settlements, and military forts. The territory features geological structures, archaeological sites, hot springs, and museums.
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