Greetings from Bandelier National Monument

I am the meeting and visitor bureau director for Los Alamos, NM. Bandelier National Monument is a premier attractions that our local tourism industry thrives upon. The Valles Caldera National Preserve is also a major attraction to our area towns. Los Alamos is the Eastern gateway to the Jemez Mountain National Scenice Byway as well. We have a lot to offer but with Bandelier, the Preserve and all our campgrounds closed we are nearly at a tourism standstill. The Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta ran from October 5th through October 13th this year. During this time frame in 2012, our visitor centers experience nearly 4,000 people coming through our doors, visiting our local attractions, businesses and visiting our parks and monuments. This time period just conluded for 2013 and our visitor centers experienced just under 400 visitors coming through our doors. A true tragedy but a very real testament to how important our parks, preserves and monuments are to so very many.

Sincerely,
Mike Lippiatt

Bandelier National Monument

On the slopes of the Jemez Mountains in New Mexico, this monument commemorates the rich cultural history of the American Southwest. Humans have inhabited the canyons and mesas of the Bandelier area for more than 10,000 years. The Ancestral Puebloan people inhabited the region for more than 400 years, and their homes, carved from the rock walls of the Frijoles Canyon, are the primary attraction of the monument. The Bandelier Museum exhibits Ancestral Puebloan artifacts and tells the story of the evolution of the culture. The park also offers 70 miles of rugged trails for hikers of different abilities.

State(s): New Mexico

Established: 1916

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