Bandalier National Monument

Bandalier in located in Frijoles canyon. There is a little stream that runs through the canyon that seldom runs dry making it a good place to live for the Indians who settled here centuries ago.
,The mountains are made of compacted volcanic ash called tuff. It is a soft crumbly rock that is easily eroded giving it a swiss cheese look. The Indians built homes up along the canyon wall. The small caves would give them extra living space or storage area. The soft rock made it possible for them to attach their building materials to the mountain.

Ladders like this one were used to access the structures. Doors are a hole in the roof.

The ceilings of the caves are blackened to put a coating on rock to keep it from crumbling. If you look close you can see petroglyphs.

It is a pretty good climb to access the dwellings. Average life span was 35 years old for these people. I told the kids to be glad I could still make the climb with them since I am 10 years past dead.

Alan and Maren checking out the caves.

This could be a little treacherous in the winter.

Originally this circle would have been 1 or 2 stories high, containing 400 rooms for 100 people.
Most of the rooms look like they are smaller than a queen size mattress.

Going up or coming down it is pretty scary.

Maren making herself at home.