Bandelier Wilderness
From the twelfth to the mid-sixteenth centuries, a large population of Ancestral Pueblo people flourished among the cream-and-tan cliffs and piñon-juniper-forested mesas of the slopes of the Jemez Mountains. When the people moved on, they settled in villages along the Rio Grande known today as Cochiti, Santo Domingo, San Felipe, and San Ildefonso Pueblos. Their present-day descendants maintain close traditional ties with the dwellings on the mesa tops, cliffs, and canyon bottoms throughout Bandelier National Monument. Seventy percent is designated as wilderness. The dramatic setting, showcases sheer-walled canyons dividing the long mesas of the Pajarito Plateau.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | National Park Service |
| State | New Mexico |
| Size | 23,267 acres |
| Designated | 1976, by Congress |
| Center point | 35.76° N, 106.32° W |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 23) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
None of the 4 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trails
2 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 6 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Alamo Spring ↗ | 5.3 | |
| Boundary Peak | 0.7 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedPaliza South Rx
16 mi from the center point · 412 acres
- PrescribedStone Angel Fall Rx
42 mi from the center point
- PrescribedMesa Juan Domingo Fall Rx
46 mi from the center point
- PrescribedCedro Piles Rx
48 mi from the center point · 15 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 4.5 miUnited States Post Office-Los Alamos, New Mexico ↗Los Alamos, NM
- 5.6 miGrant Road ↗Los Alamos, NM
- 5.6 miBayo Road ↗Los Alamos, NM
- 9.8 miOtowi Suspension Bridge ↗San Ildefonso, NM
- 13 miSanto Domingo Indian Trading Post ↗Domingo, NM
- 13.6 miJackson, J.b., House ↗Santa Fe, NM
- 13.8 miLujan--Ortiz House ↗Jaconita, NM
- 14.8 miRoybal, Ignacio, House ↗Jacona, NM
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for New Mexico
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Bandelier Wilderness?
23,267 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Bandelier Wilderness?
The National Park Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Bandelier Wilderness in?
New Mexico.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Bandelier Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1976.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Bandelier Wilderness?
Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Bandelier Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 35.761° N, 106.324° W. Bandelier National Monument is adjacent. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Bandelier Wilderness right now?
4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Paliza South Rx at 16 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Which national parks are near Bandelier Wilderness?
Bandelier National Monument (adjacent), Manhattan Project National Historical Park (4 mi) and Valles Caldera National Preserve (8 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Bandelier Wilderness?
The National Register has 8 listings within 15 miles, including United States Post Office-Los Alamos, New Mexico and Grant Road.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.