Bandelier National Monument
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Resource
Setting
Bandelier National Monument is located in the transition area between the Chihuahuan and Great Basin deserts of north-central New Mexico. It is situated on the Pajarito Plateau, between the Jemez Mountains on the west and the Rio Grande River on the east.
The Pajarito Plateau was created from volcanic lava and ash flows which erupted from nearby Jemez Volcano, about a million years ago. Bandelier National Monument is located 11 miles south of Los Alamos (where the first atomic bomb was developed in the 1940s) and 48 miles northwest of Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Climate
The weather at Bandelier is warm and dry, with rain in early summer months. There is a good chance of snow storms from October through May. Wear comfortable sportswear type clothing in season, with sturdy walking shoes. The elevation in Frijoles Canyon is 6,000 feet and can cause breathing difficulties for some people visiting from lower elevations.
Getting There
By Auto
Visitors traveling North-South on I-25 take second Santa Fe exit (St. Francis) to Routes 84/285 West. Follow signs to Bandelier at every major junction.Public Transportation
There is no public, or regularly scheduled commercial transportation to or in the Monument. Rental cars, commercial airlines, Amtrak trains and Greyhound buses are available at Santa Fe, New Mexico.
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