Most of Bandelier National Monument is closed to visitor use due to the current situation with the budget of the federal government. Courtesy/NPS
BANDELIER News:
As of today, Saturday, Jan. 20, most of Bandelier National Monument will be closed to visitor use due to the current situation with the budget of the federal government.
The closure is necessary for visitor safety and preservation of the fragile archeological and natural resources. The closure will last until the budget situation allows for park staff to return to duty. Visitors are encouraged to respect signs and gates indicating areas that are closed, and use caution and care in areas that remain open.
There will be law enforcement rangers patrolling the park.
The Frijoles Canyon area will be closed, including the Visitor Center, all trails below the canyon rim, and anything accessed from the Entrance Road. The closure also will include Juniper Family Campground and Ponderosa Group Campground, as well as any use in the Tsankawi section of the park.
With the exception of Tsankawi, visitors will be permitted to use trails outside of Frijoles Canyon and the entrance road, including Burnt Mesa, Cerro Grande, the Upper Frijoles Canyon Overlook Trail, and the Sawyer Mesa Trail. The US Forest Service has gated Forest Roads 289 and 142 west of the park closed for the winter, so trails beginning along those roads are not available.
Those wishing to visit the park should monitor news outlets for current information on the federal government re-opening. Until that occurs, all means of contact with the park, including phone, website, Facebook, and Twitter, will be out of service. They will be reactivated as soon as park staff are authorized to do so.
To reach a ranger, calls should go to the Los Alamos Police Department dispatch at 911 (emergency) or 505.662.8222 (non-emergency).
