Upper Frijoles Canyon. Courtesy/NPS
NPS News:
Saturday, Sept. 24 is an entrance fee free day for everyone providing no cost access to all of America’s National Park Service (NPS) sites including Bandelier National Monument in celebration of National Public Lands Day (NPLD).
NPLD was established in 1994 and is traditionally known as the nation’s largest single-day volunteer effort for public lands. It celebrates the connection between people and green space in their community, inspires environmental stewardship, and encourages use of open space for education, recreation, and health benefits.
In addition to waiving entrance fees, Bandelier will be hosting a Wilderness Cleanup Day, Monday, Sept. 26 to celebrate NPLD and to recognize September as National Wilderness Month. The cleanup will consist of a 4-mile round trip hike to remove old research equipment and debris from backcountry wilderness areas. Anyone interested in volunteering or with questions about this event should contact Wilderness Ranger Mark Peterson at 505.672.3861 x1442 or mark_m_peterson@nps.gov. Entrance fees are waived for volunteers on this day of work.
Bandelier is one of approximately 100 national parks that charges an entrance fee. There are more than 300 other national parks that do not. Fee dollars help parks complete vital projects that directly impact park visitors, with at least 80 percent of fee revenue staying in the park where it is collected. There is one more entrance fee-free day this year Friday, Nov. 11, which is Veterans Day.
Campground fees still apply on all fee-free days. Bandelier normally charges an entrance fee of $25 per vehicle, $20 per motorcycle, and $15 per individual or bicycle. Bandelier specific annual passes and the full suite of America the Beautiful – The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands passes are honored for entrance fees and are available for purchase at the visitor center.
For information about types of passes and prices, visit: https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes.htm.
Bandelier National Monument is open every day from sunrise to sunset. In Frijoles Canyon, the park visitor center and the park store (operated by Western National Parks Association) is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily and the café, Sirphey at Bandelier, is open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily.
