Bandelier National Monument

With my new camera in hand, I returned to Bandelier National Monument.  In order to get there, I had to stop at White Rock Visitor Center in the town of White Rock.  This is because driving directly into the monument was not allowed.  Instead, visitors must buy their passes (good for seven days) at the WRVC and then ride a shuttle bus, which I did for the second consecutive day.  The bus makes two stops in the monument - first at its campgrounds and then at its visitor center in Frijoles Canyon.  (If you eat Mexican food, you know what frijoles means.)

Bandelier National Monument is named after Swiss-born American archaeologist Adolph Bandelier, who worked in the United States and Mexico.

From the visitor center in Frijoles Canyon, a hike on the Main Loop Trail leads to the Big Kiva.

The trail continues to a pueblo ruin named Tyuonyi, of which this is just a small section.

The trail then led upward to this structure built against the side of the canyon, which includes numerous caves.

Once up there, you can get a good look at Tyuonyi.  The semi-circular layout reminded me of some pueblos built by people of the Chaco culture.

The only two caves visitors are allowed into each have a ladder.

Keep following the trail.

Here's Tyuonyi from a different angle.

The Main Loop Trail leads to an area called Long House, of which this is one section.  It includes both cave dwellings and man-made structures.

Here's more of Long House.

A separate trail leads from the Main Loop Trail to Alcove House, which is in the alcove above.  No, I didn't climb up there.

When I got back to the White Rock Visitor Center, I just had to get a shot of this scaled-up clay pot.  The guy to the left looks like he's running for the shuttle bus.

Besides the monument's website, you can learn more at The American Southwest and Desert USA.