Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument
Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument
Location	Sandoval County, New Mexico, United States
Nearest city	Cochiti Pueblo, NM
Coordinates	35°39′37″N 106°24′30″W / 35.66028°N 106.40833°W
Area	5,402 acres (21.86 km2)
Established	January 17, 2001
Governing body	U.S. Bureau of Land Management
Website	Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument
U.S. National Monument

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument is a U.S. National Monument located approximately 40 miles (64 km) southwest of Santa Fe, New Mexico, near Cochiti Pueblo. Managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), it was established as a U.S. National Monument by President Bill Clinton in January 2001. Kasha-Katuwe means "white cliffs" in the Pueblo language Keresan.^[2] The monument is a unit of the BLM's National Conservation Lands. The monument closed in 2020 due to Covid and has yet to reopen.

Geology[edit]

Kasha-Katuwe is located on the Pajarito Plateau between 5700 and 6400 feet (1737–1951 m) above sea level. The area owes its remarkable geology to layers of volcanic rock and ash deposited by pyroclastic flow from eruptions within the volcanic field of the Jemez Mountains that occurred 6 to 7 million years ago. These rock layers are assigned to the Peralta Tuff. Many of the layers are light in color, which is the origin of the monument's Keresan name. Over time, weathering and erosion of these layers has created slot canyons and tent rocks. The tent rocks are composed of soft pumice and tuff. Most of the tent rocks have a distinctly conical shape and some retain their caprocks of harder stone. The tent rocks vary in height from a few feet to 90 feet (27 m).^[2]

Recreational activities[edit]

The BLM maintains hiking trails as well as parking and restrooms at the site. The Slot Canyon trail is a one-way trail covering 1.5 miles (2.4 km) through a slot canyon and up a climb of 630 feet (190 m) to a lookout point where the tent rocks may be viewed from above. The Cave Loop trail is approximately 1.2 miles (1.9 km) and leads past the base of the cliffs, near some of the tent rocks and a small cavate similar to those found at the nearby Bandelier National Monument. The Veterans' Memorial Scenic Overlook, dedicated in 2004, includes a 1 mile (1.6 km) loop trail and views of Peralta Canyon and the Jemez Mountains. The overlook is located at the end of a gravel road approximately 3.5 miles (5.6 km) west of the tent rocks and may not be accessible depending on road and weather conditions.

The monument is open for day use only and may be closed by order of the Cochiti Pueblo Tribal Governor. Considerations for hiking include the possibility of flash flooding in the slot canyons and the high altitude of the monument. The monument is closed to dogs.^[2]

In popular culture[edit]

The science fiction television series Earth 2 filmed scenes at the monument.

Closure[edit]

The BLM closed the monument in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. BLM plans to update facilities and restore trails, and may increase entry fees more in line with the costs to maintain the delicate area.^[3] The monument has not reopened as of October 5, 2023 due to continued concerns of COVID-19 transmission to the Cochiti Pueblo and to addresses concerns of over-visitation, long wait times, staffing needs, and resource protection.^[4]

Gallery[edit]

Photo Gallery
Closeup of several of the largest hoodoos in the formation.
Evidence of erosion in the slot canyon
A narrow section of the slot canyon
Tent rocks, with Cochiti Pueblo lands and the Rio Grande in the distance
Ruins of a Native American cliff dwelling

References[edit]

^ "National Monument detail table as of April 2012" (PDF). Bureau of Land Management. Retrieved 2012-12-27.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument". Bureau of Land Management. Retrieved September 24, 2018.
^ Pardo, Annalisa (September 13, 2021). "Tent Rocks still closed; considering improvements with reopening". KRQE New Mexico. Nexstar Media Inc. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
^ "August 30, 2023 update: Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument remains closed". US Bureau of Land Management. Retrieved September 5, 2023.

External links[edit]

[blm_details-1] "National Monument detail table as of April 2012" (PDF). Bureau of Land Management. Retrieved 2012-12-27.

[blm_official-2] "Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument". Bureau of Land Management. Retrieved September 24, 2018.

[3] Pardo, Annalisa (September 13, 2021). "Tent Rocks still closed; considering improvements with reopening". KRQE New Mexico. Nexstar Media Inc. Retrieved May 6, 2023.

[4] "August 30, 2023 update: Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument remains closed". US Bureau of Land Management. Retrieved September 5, 2023.

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v t e Protected areas of New Mexico
National Parks	Carlsbad Caverns White Sands
National Historical Parks	Chaco Culture Manhattan Project Pecos
National monuments	Aztec Ruins Bandelier Capulin Volcano El Malpais El Morro Fort Union Gila Cliff Dwellings Petroglyph Salinas Pueblo Missions
National Recreation Areas	Jemez (USFS)
National Trails	Camino Real de Tierra Adentro Old Spanish Trail Santa Fe Trail
National Forests	Apache–Sitgreaves Carson Cibola Coronado Gila Lincoln Santa Fe
National Grasslands	Kiowa
National Wildlife Refuges	Bitter Lake Bosque del Apache Grulla Las Vegas Maxwell San Andres Sevilleta Valle de Oro
National Conservation Areas	El Malpais Fort Stanton–Snowy River Cave
BLM National Monuments	Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks Prehistoric Trackways Rio Grande del Norte
National Natural Landmarks	List of National Natural Landmarks in New Mexico
National Preserves	Valles Caldera
Wilderness	Aldo Leopold Apache Kid Bandelier Bisti/De-Na-Zin Blue Range Bosque del Apache Capitan Mountains Carlsbad Caverns Cebolla Chama River Canyon Columbine–Hondo Cruces Basin Dome Gila Latir Peak Manzano Mountain Ojito Pecos Sabinoso Salt Creek San Pedro Parks Sandia Mountain West Malpais Wheeler Peak White Mountain Withington
Wild and Scenic Rivers	East Fork Jemez River Pecos River Red River Rio Chama Rio Grande
State Parks	Bluewater Lake Bottomless Lakes Brantley Lake Caballo Lake Cerrillos Hills Cimarron Canyon City of Rocks Clayton Lake Conchas Lake Coyote Creek Eagle Nest Lake El Vado Lake Elephant Butte Lake Fenton Lake Heron Lake Hyde Memorial Leasburg Dam Living Desert Zoo and Gardens Manzano Mountains Mesilla Valley Bosque Morphy Lake Navajo Lake Oasis Oliver Lee Memorial Pancho Villa Percha Dam Rio Grande Nature Center Rockhound Santa Rosa Lake Storrie Lake Sugarite Canyon Sumner Lake Ute Lake Villanueva
New Mexico Department of Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources

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US Forest Service	Admiralty Island Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon Bears Ears Berryessa Snow Mountain Browns Canyon Camp Hale – Continental Divide Chimney Rock Giant Sequoia Gila Cliff Dwellings Misty Fjords Mount St. Helens Newberry Saint Francis Dam Disaster San Gabriel Mountains Sand to Snow Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains
Bureau of Land Management	Agua Fria Avi Kwa Ame Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon Basin and Range Bears Ears Berryessa Snow Mountain Browns Canyon California Coastal Canyons of the Ancients Carrizo Plain Cascade–Siskiyou Craters of the Moon Fort Ord Gold Butte Grand Canyon–Parashant Grand Staircase–Escalante Ironwood Forest Jurassic Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks Mojave Trails Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks Pompeys Pillar Prehistoric Trackways Río Grande del Norte San Juan Islands Sand to Snow Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains Sonoran Desert Upper Missouri River Breaks Vermilion Cliffs
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