Tsankawi and Bandelier

Another day trip out of Santa Fe over near Los Alamos in the upper Bandelier National Monument.  These indians lived in caves hacked out of the soft rocks.  They built some rock structures in front of the south facing caves and their trails and stair steps are preserved because they are worn deep into the soft stone.

 Old paths 

 Ladders up and down the cliffs

 Cliff edge with paths and below the indian's ladders worn into the cliff sides.

 Some of the old pathways -- narrow and deep.

 The small line of holes is where the roof poles formed were that probably indicated a rock structure in front of the cave.

 Ceilings were blackened by fire.

Bandelier was another canyon down from Tsankawi and the ruins were more protected and in better shape.  These were different indians groups with different language -- how they know this - maybe the early explorers coming through this area. We climbed up on the mesa and took some photos  from up there.  The cottonwoods along the river were beautiful.