Located
near Los Alamos, NM, Bandilier is a special place full of adventure, high canyons,
ancient Indian dwellings and breathtaking vistas. We stayed at Juniper
campgrounds located on the rim of a deep canyon just up from the visitors
center. The campsites have no electric however the restrooms are clean and the
sites are surrounded by tall trees providing some shade depending on the site.
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Our campsite at Juniper campground |
By the parks visitor
center is a beautiful trail that meanders through the ancient Indian ruins,
Kiva’s and cliff dwellings. Being familiar with Mesa Verde National Park we
found that the history here to be quite compelling. The loop
trail passes through the ruins of the ancient villages that populated the valley up to the
cliffs of the canyon where many of the tribes build homes to protect their
families from the elements.
Just west on scenic highway 4 is the beautiful Valles Caldera
National Preserve. This area is an extinct super volcano that erupted
millions of years age and caved in on itself to from a vast valley filled with
various forms of wild life similar to Yellowstone. We spotted elk, coyotes, and
prairie dogs on our drive up to the visitor’s center. The prairie dogs had just
had their pups making for an interesting experience watching them play as the
mothers keep watch for predators from the rims of their nesting sites.
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Coyote on the Caldera |
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Prairie Dog guarding its den at visitors center |
The
park service provided visitors with an interpretive ride in an electric van to
the old ranch houses that were used here to raise cattle years ago. Many of the building were used by Hollywood film makers to make
western movies over the years. We found Valles Caldera to be a marvelous and
historic place not only by its geology but also by its abundant forms of
wildlife.
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Western Ranch Cabin |
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View from the rancher cabins looking north across the caldera |
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Ranch Foreman's cabin in the process of being restored by the park service |
While
visiting Bandilier we did take an afternoon to visit Los Alamos, site of the
national lab that made the atom bombs that help end World War II. The museums
and historic buildings of Los Alamos provided a great experience for us to
learn the history of the atomic age and continuing research that is a big part
of our countries defense system and energy grid.
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Directors of the National Lab at its very begining |
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Lodge that was used to house the scientist at the beginning of the labs operation |
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Replica of Fat boy used during WW II |
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