Tent Rocks

Tent Rocks

Cave, Tent Rocks

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument - October 10, 2003

Again, one of those places out in the middle of nowhere. How do I find these places?

This one was listed in the New Mexico "Come Visit Me" tourism magazine. It is a National Monument, having been designated as such by President Clinton in 2001. However, it is unusual in that it is administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and not the National Park Service (NPS). The Tent Rocks Monument is located North of Albuquerque on Pueblo de Cochiti Indian Tribal Land. Sometimes the access road will be closed; it was not on this day. Access is via a dirt road.

The unusual rock formations found here are the result of volcanic eruptions that occurred between 6 and 7 million years ago, when explosions from the Jemez volcanic field spewed rock fragments and hot gases blasted down the slopes. Over time, erosion by wind and water have sculpted the formations into what we see today. (All of the above the cliff notes version from the brochure I obtained at the Monument.)

Two trails exist at the monument. I took both. The first one I hiked was the Canyon Trail, which winds it way thru a narrow canyon and eventually climbing to a mesa with views over the nearby mountains. Most of the pictures I took are from that hike, which I enjoyed very much. Some challenging parts to the hike exist, such as climbing up and down narrow crevices which served as the path.

The second hike is called the Cave Loop Trail, which is much easier but also much warmer as it is out in the sun (the Canyon Trail at least gives you some shade). The Cave Loop Trail boasts a cave but out of the rock and some very pretty flowers. No pictures of the flowers here.

Tent Rocks

Tent Rocks

Tent Rocks

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