Bandalier National Monument
Ancestral cliff dwellings and the ruins of a pueblo hide in this isolated canyon outside of Los Alamos, New Mexico.
The monument is small and can be done relatively quickly. The walk to the homes built into the walls of volcanic tuff is short and easy. These homes are tiny and reminiscent of a fort I may have made as a child. The soot from fires on the roofs of the caves help you appreciate the life and plight of the people that inhabited these caves nearly one thousand years ago.
After the primary loop, you can take a relatively short and easy hike to the cliff dwellings that are high up in the canyon. A series of long ladders take you up to the precariously perched dwellings and offer a nice view of the canyon, but to be honest, climbing the huge ladders was half the fun.
