Bandelier National Monument

Our trusty van pulls up to Bandelier National Monument on a typical New Mexican afternoon, marked by dry heat, wind, and blindingly blue skies. Having only a vague conception of what to expect, I recall a visit to a similar national monument I made with my family as a child while I lather on sunscreen and fill up my water bottle. The memory is dulled and warped by many years of stagnancy in my brain, and I can conjure up only disconnected snapshots—my father helping me up a wooden ladder; peering through a tiny window in the stone wall; the coolness of the air inside the small, dark rooms. At the time, it had felt like my own personal playground, an archeological adventure waiting to be explored. I had hardly even taken note of the fact that those dwellings had once served as shelter and protection for other people.

            The cave dwellings at Bandelier have the same playful and inviting quality. Perfectly formed and intricately designed caverns beg to be explored, narrow rock stairways want to be climbed, and dangerously steep ladders dare us to scale them. As we set off on our hike among the long-abandoned dwellings, I again have to remind myself that we are exploring a site that once housed a thriving community. We walk along parallel to the cliff face, which stretches smoothly up to dizzying heights. From afar, the cliff appears to be punctuated with holes of various size and shape, peculiar enough that they might have been formed by some trick of geology and weather. But upon closer inspection, the caverns’ careful intent marks them as something much more than an accident of nature. The trail takes us to a series of larger caves, spacious and structurally sound enough to hold nearly our entire group. We take advantage of the unique photo opportunity and pose for snapshots inside the cool stone walls. The caverns are so far removed from my conception of a home that it is difficult to imagine people inhabiting them. But once I do, they hold such a greater significance.

            Toward the end of the hike, the trail winds through a wooded area, tall pines lining our path. I wonder how the environment must have looked so many thousands of years ago, when the area was first inhabited by the Pueblo people. At the end of the trail are a series of steep wooden ladders, some reaching up 40 feet or more. When we finally scale them all, we are allowed to enter a small circular room used as a ceremonial kiva.

In this room, more so than any of the others, I attempt to be a respectful visitor, admiring the scene with reverent curiosity.

            It is nearly impossible for me to imagine the lifestyles of the people who once inhabited the area, but Bandelier helps visitors to visualize this phase of American history first-hand. While it’s easy to separate the monuments from their original purposes and their historic significance, they can provide a unique and interactive learning experience for visitors who are willing to treat the area with the respectful interest that it deserves.

-Leslie Reynolds