Tsankawi - Los Alamos, New Mexico - Trail Leading to Ancient Ruins

The portion of Bandelier National Monument known as Tsankawi contains a large mesa and surrounding valley land, forested with juniper, pinyon, and juniper pine. It is the site of the Ancestral Pueblo village of Tsankawi, where cave-like rooms called "cavates'' and ancient petroglyphs can still be seen today.

The Tsankawi Trail covers about 1.5~2 miles, reaching the top of the mesa over prehistoric routes tread by so many feet that in some places ruts have been worn several feet deep into the soft volcanic tuff. Other sections are so steep that ladders are a required part of the trail.

Atop the mesa is what remains of a large pueblo constructed in the 15th century. Food and water had to be carried up here from the valleys below. Look for petroglyphs carved into the rock and abandoned cliff dwellings dating back 500~900 years.

Tsankawi is located on State Highway 4, roughly twelve miles from the main section of the park. A simple sign, which is easy to miss, marks the trailhead on the east side of the highway next to a gravel parking area. The round-trip hike takes a little over two hours. Tsankawi is open from dawn to dusk daily, except Christmas and New Year's Day.