Need info on Bandelier National Monumnet New Mexico.

[dennis_smith3]

I need some images of some ruins, and someone told me about

Banderlier Nat. Mont. in NM. I found hardly any information on the

net for this place. Can anyone give me information about this place?

This is for my personal work, not a biz assignment. I was just

wondering if this is a good place for some fresh images, not just

more ruins from masa verde.

 

Since I will be in NM, I remember seeing ruins images from the Santa

Fa workshop, a girl standing in a door way of some ruins. Does anyone

know where these ruins are at? Any information would be greatly

appreciated.

[paul_ashton]

Dennis, this is a fabulous place - lot's of atmosphere, superb

photo opportunities and of course the history. I think it would

help if your searches spelled it BANDELIER though. The NP

service offers a number of publications on the area and the park

in particular. All my books are in packing cases at the moment

so I cannot be specific about those we own but I think a search

on Amazon or similar will provide what you need.

 

As far as the ruins are concerned, they could be almost

anywhere in the state of New Mexico. Check out Philip's own NM

pages for some nice pictures.

[cowan stark]

Here's a <a href="http://www.nps.gov/band/"> link to the Bandelier National Monument website</a> for starters, but the info's a little limited. I was there last October with the Santa Fe Workshops but we didn't see any girls in doorways.

[jeffpolaski]

Great place. Get in close for non-run-of-the-mill.

[john_demott]

Dennis--I recently visited there and I concur that it is a great spot. I offer two observations. First, Bandelier is a popular destination for people from Santa Fe and the rest of northern New Mexico. The day I visited, the park was crowded and it was difficult to set up a shot. It would probably be best to go at an off-peak time. Second, the ruins are in a deep valley. Early and late in the day, the ruins are in shadow. In mid-day, the lighting can be very harsh. Plan accordingly.

[e.j.]

Bandelier is not very far from Santa Fe - about half way between Santa Fe and Los Alamos. It is a difficult place to get clean photos of ruins as they are heavily shaded much of the day and there are many visitors. A cliff dwelling that is much easier to photograph especially in morning light and is easy to photograph without people because of the way it is oriented is Montezuma's castle in central Arizona. Here is a picture, pardon the photographer in the photo, that was intentional... http://www.ejphoto.com/about_ej.htm

 

E.J.

[lee_shively]

Although you are interested in the ruins, Dennis, Bandelier has a lot more going for it such as hiking, wildlife and great scenery. You do need to time your visit for the light on the ruins. There are cliff dwellings and ruins on the floor of the canyon so you should be able to get decent photos of one or the other. The crowds are a pain. Go on a weekday and spend a lot of time. You will probably not find a place to park on a Saturday or Sunday.

[dennis_smith6]

Yes I will be there for about 5 days, in July (only time I can get to go). I will also be looking around the area for ruins other than at Banderlier. I was going to ask the ranger. If anyone knows of some other places that is about an hours drive, I would appriciate it. I have already found out there is a place not far called Tsankiwi Pueblo, and I thinik I will check out that place as well. Of course, as a landscape person, I will be relaxing during the time I an not working on ruins images, by taking some pictorials of the land and anything else that happens to cross my lens. I am taking about a 100 rolls of slides, I hope that is enough! ;-)

[rob_sheneman2]

I've been to Los Alamos several times on business and visited Bandelier. Haven't been back since the wildfires a few years ago. It's a BEAUTIFUL place in the valley. It can get crowded...not when I was there...and it's down in the valley, so morning/evening light takes some time to make it down to the ruins...I found a graduated ND filter to be quite useful. If you have time and the energy, take a hilke down to the Rio Grande...I can still smell the pinyon and junipers.

 

Your last post mentioned "Tsankiwi" - I think you mean the Tsankawi Section of Bandelier. It's located southeast of the main area, just off NM-4 (?) south of White Rock. It's a beautiful palce to visit early in the morning or late in the afternoon. If you go the the Bandelier NM web site, they should have a link to the NPS cartography division...you can download a map of the monument. NOTE: I tried to find the map and it seems like much of the NPS web site is not accessable at the moment.

 

A word of caution. Bandolier is adjacent to Los Alamos National Laboratory. While much of the lab is undeveloped and has numerous native american acheological sites, it is a security area. The Lab has several archeologists on staff and makes a great effort to protect the native american sites. Many of these sites are monitored to prevent vandalism and "pot hunting." Don't tresspass looking for "uncharted" ruins...

 

Also, keep in mind that the local native american community - Pueblo San Idefonso - has close links to these "unknown" sites. They often do not want photographs taken..after all their ancestors may have lived and be burried there. I had the opportunity to visit one such ruin accompanied by a Lab archeologist. Leaders of the local peublo definately did not want photographs of the place where great-grandmother is burried. Please respect their wishes.

 

Enjoy your trip! The Los Alamos area and Jemez Mountains are truly beautiful.