April 16th, 2023
After leaving the Albuquerque Cracker Barrel, I drove northeast on I-25 towards Santa Fe, New Mexico. The day was warm, but I could see snow capped peaks to the north and east. Once at Santa Fe, I turned north, seeking a one night campsite at Bandelier National Monument. I found a site at Juniper Family Campground, just inside the monument. There were few people around and lots of quiet. It was also warm and the area was grassland with sparse Ponderosa Pine and Mountain Juniper trees. The ground within the campground was covered with pine needles, giving off a wonderful scent. I changed my mind and decided to stay here for 7 nights.
The next morning, Tuesday the 11th, I drove down to the Visitor Center and hiked the main Pueblo loop which followed along the base of the cliff forming one side of Frijoles Canyon. The creek running down through the narrow canyon runs into the Rio Grande River. The cliffs are formed by Tuff. This is a compressed form of volcano ash that was deposited millions of years ago. It hardens and then when the continent was uplifted, it was subject to erosion by wind and water. Pockets of various sizes covered the walls of stone. In the period from 1100 to 1500, native Americans took advantage of these holes and alcoves as shelter. Horizontal post holes were also dug into the walls, allowing timbers to be inserted that would support expanded lodging outward and up as much as 4 stories. It is estimated that the immediate area supported a population of 500.
The National Monument protects the ancestral homes of today’s Pueblo people.
Highway 4 and 501 provide access to the area from White Rock and Los Alamos. All along both highways there are turnoffs to numbered LANL Tech Areas. These are highly secured laboratories which are part of the Los Alamos National Laboratories (LANL). To drive from the campground to the town of Los Alamos, you must check in and out of the entrance and exit booths along highway 501. They check and sometimes record your drivers license and occasionally ask questions about your destination and from where you came. It is kind of like Customs where you cross the border into another country. The Tech Areas are separated from each other by distance, I assume as a safety measure from possible experiment accidents they are performing at each.
On Wednesday, I drove to Los Alamos Nature Center. They have a glassed viewing area that looks over a water garden which attracts area birds. It is quite relaxing and sometimes comical to watch their interactions at the feeder areas and along the small artificial stream.
The rest of the week, I spent time each day hiking different trails in the area.
Next up, some unknown destination up I-25 towards Colorado. I have 20 more days to explore before I visit my son near Boulder, Colorado.
Starting All Over 