Visiting Bandelier National Monument, Jemez Historic Site, Valles Caldera National Preserve and Santa Fe National Forest - New Mexico

During our stay at Cochiti Lake, New Mexico, we toured several areas, starting with Bandelier National Monument. Though much smaller in size than Mesa Verde National Park, (which we visited in Oct 2017: https://ramblingrvrat.blogspot.com/2017/10/lone-rock-beach-lake-powell-utmesa.html), Bandelier National Monument is an equally important site in the history and culture of the Ancestral Puebloan People.  Bandelier’s annual visitation is significantly less than Mesa Verde’s, too, so for me, it provided a more intimate, immersive experience. 

 

Situated between the Rio Grande River on the East and Cerro Picacho Peak in the San Miguel Mountains on the West, more than 2/3 of the Monument is designated as “wilderness”.  But to today’s Puebloan People, it represents holy and sacred ground, because built within the canyons above Frijoles Creek are the remains of the 800+ year-old homes of their ancestors.  Frijoles Creek starts 10,000 feet above sea level at Certo Grande Peak.  It travels for 14 miles, descending to a 4,000-foot elevation, before entering the Rio Grande River.  

Looking down upon Frijoles Creek.

We traversed the Pueblo Loop Trail to view the cliff dwellings.  It is fascinating to walk in the footsteps of history, view petroglyphs, and envision the daily lives of those who called these pueblos “home”.  The handiwork of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) is on exhibit here, too.  The road, Visitor Center, and lodge (now used as Staff housing and storage) are all due to their efforts.  Sadly, Alcove House and its trail were closed for restoration.  So, we could not visit this 2-story, 23 room pueblo and kiva.

Lots of rock art left behind by the prior owners of these "homes".

I guess I must have been hungry, because the holes within the tuff rocks, created by the forces of wind and rain over time, made the mountains look like Swiss cheese.

Fortunately, Mom is very astute—she got my message it was time for our lunch.  So, we ate al fresco at Sirphey, the lovely little café at the Monument.  We enjoyed elk and bison burgers, cooked medium rare, with side salad.  The food was fresh and tasty, proof it was prepared by a local restauranter rather than by an institutional food provider hired by the National Park Service (i.e., Aramark, Xanterra, ExploreUS, Delaware North).

The outdoor seating for the cafe.  The Lodge can be seen in the background. 

This little fellow wanted to join us for lunch.

After lunch, I got deputized as a Junior Ranger.  Then, we visited the Tsankawi Unit, a separate area of Bandolier National Monument off NM-502 outside of White Rock.  We followed a primitive 1.5-mile-trail of moderate difficulty to visit this unexcavated prehistoric pueblo site within Bandolier National Monument.  Originally, the trail took you right through the ancient site.  But it has been rerouted now for preservation purposes to take you around the site rather than through it.  What an enlightening, spiritual adventure we had.

 

This rock had eyes!

We had to climb this ladder at the start of the trail.

Me coaching Mom--"don't look down!"

More of a climb up the trail.

Had to suck in my belly to fit through the narrow rock walls along the trail.

We reached the top of the trail...

...and took in the magnificent views.

The next day we traveled along NM-4, seeing some wonderful sites like Soda Dam, Battleship Rock, and La Cueva Picnic Area. 

Soda Dam is formed by calcium carbonate that bubbles up from an underground stream. 

Battleship Rock.

La Cueva Picnic Area.

We also visited the Jemez Historic Site.   Known as Gisewa in the 16^th century, the Jemez Historic Site was the ancestral home of today’s Jemez Pueblo People.  Sadly, the Spaniards arrived and colonized the area in the 17^th century, forcing their way of life on the Puebloans. The Puebloans revolted, briefly regaining their homeland.  But eventually, the Spaniards returned, and the Jemez Pueblo People moved permanently to their present location.

 

We continued along NM-4 to Valles Caldera National Preserve within the Jemez Mountains.  Let me tell ya, you don’t need to go to crowded National Parks to see the wonders of nature and the works of our Creator!  Valles Caldera National Preserve receives few visitors (only 80,000 annually), but it is packed with history, culture, geology, and volcanology. Valles Caldera was formed a million+ years ago, when a volcanic eruption, 300 times more powerful than Mt. St. Helen, occurred.  The eruption spewed ash all the way to what we know today as Kansas, Utah, and Wyoming.  Afterwards, the volcano spewed magma, emptying its chamber, and creating a 14-mile-wide ground depression when the land collapsed.   Subsequently, new magma refilled the chamber, causing the caldera floor to flex upward, forming Redondo Peak, the highest dome within the Preserve at 11,254 feet above sea level.

A view of Redondo Peak.

Humankind has inhabited these lands for millennia, from Indians who hunted, gathered, and made tools from obsidian (volcanic glass), to Spaniards and other Europeans who used the land for sheep grazing and ranching.

We hiked around Cerro La Jara, one of several lava domes. 

It began to downpour just as we finished our hike.  But we were determined to continue exploring.  So, we drove up to the Cabin District, representing the private area where the Baca family ranched in the late 1800s for some 150 years.  We enjoyed chatting with the Ranger, perusing the small museum, and photographing the historic buildings.

I am very proud to say I took this photo myself!  It almost looks like a painting!

But the coolest and most fun thing we did was take the “back country” drive along Caldera Road.  We were required to get a permit to do so, but there was no fee involved.  We merely registered and received a code to enter the gated area.  Caldera Road offers scenic vistas, diverse ecosystems, and a great way to understand the historical, scientific, and cultural importance of these lands.

 

The next day we did some Jeeping within Santa Fe National Forest.  We started out on NM-485, viewing the Guadelupe River and its surrounding canyons.  Then we entered the Gilman Tunnels, which were blasted through the Jemez Mountains in the 1920s for train transport of lumber.  We continued to FS-376, where we noticed tons of primitive camping and boondocking for smaller rigs.  Though I saw lots of beaver dens, I failed to spot even one of the industrious builders who constructed them.

 

We also did some back-country Jeeping along Canyon Road to Waldo, which was once a train depot.  The 14-mile road led us to Cerillos Hills.  (Cerillos Hills looked very familiar to me and Mom, though Dad said we were mistaken.  Well, sure as this RV Rat rambles, we visited here previously, when we volunteered at the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta in 2022 : https://ramblingrvrat.blogspot.com/2022/10/touring-albuquerque-nm.html)  We perused the town’s farmer’s market and then headed back to Cochiti Lake via the Turquoise Trail Scenic Byway.

 

The only thing left of the depot town of Waldo is this sign along the tracks.

This rock formation is known as Devil's Throne.

The church at Cerillos Hills.  This structure was a reminder for Mom and me that we had visited this town previously.

Views from...

...Turquoise Trail.

We departed Cochiti Lake the next day and had an uneventful 3.5-hour drive to Maxwell, New Mexico—that is until the last 10 miles of our trip along NM-515.  Through ranch land and open range, it was a narrow, rural road that was so uneven, it felt like we were on a rollercoaster ride!  We arrived finally at Colfax Tavern and Diner, our Harvest Host for the night, located right at the intersection of NM-515 and US-64.   What a cool place—wish I had a spare half-million bucks to buy this joint that is currently on the market.  In addition to indoor seating, there is a huge outdoor venue that includes a stage, volleyball nets, and horseshoe pits.  Managers/bartenders Melissa and Tina were friendly, efficient, and customer-service oriented.  We parked across the road in a large gravel area (there are other parking options available for smaller rigs), and we were treated to a magnificent sunset.

                 

Well, I sure enjoyed my time exploring New Mexico, the Land of Enchantment.  But tomorrow we are onward and upward to tour more states.  I’ll talk to you again soon!