Trail Guide

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks

National Monument

Fee Amounts (U.S. Currency and U.S. Bank Checks only) 

The monument is a Standard Amenity Fee Site. All your fees 

are returned to the site for monitoring, maintenance, and 

improvements. Please have exact change.

• Group sizes up to 8 individuals–$5.

• Group sizes 9 to 25 individuals–$25.

• Group sizes over 25 individuals–$100.

Passes Sold and Issued at Entrance

• Lifetime Senior Pass–$80.

• Annual Senior Pass—$20.

• Annual Pass–$80.

• Military Annual Pass–Free

• Access Pass–Free

• Every Kid in the Park Pass (EKIP)–Free

Accredited Public/Private Schools/Colleges/Universities–

No fee–Day-use permit required–Call two weeks in advance 

for a permit and scheduling.

Special Recreation Permits (SRPs)–Organized groups such 

as weddings and reunions, and commercial operations such 

as tours, filming, or professional photography must apply and 

obtain a SRP prior to conducting business.

Visitor Services

Lost and Found

Check for lost and found items at the monument fee booth 

505/331-6259 or the BLM Office.

Amenities

The monument has ADA compliant rest rooms, picnic 

facilities and kiosks, however, there is no drinking 

water.

Nearby Convenience Stores

Pueblo de Cochiti Visitor Center–Open 9:00 a.m. to 

5 p.m.; Located at the corner of Highway 22 and 

Route 85 for refreshments.

Golf Course, Gas and Camping Facilities at 

Cochiti Lake

An ATM machine, refreshments and gas, can be 

obtained at the convenience store located near the 

town of Cochiti Lake. Camping, boating facilities 

and RV hookups are accessible at the Cochiti Lake 

Recreation Area.

Background photo by Floyd Pecos

A beautiful view of the tent formations from atop the Canyon Trail.

From the Veterans’ Memorial Scenic Overlook, you can see spectacular vistas

of Camada and Peralta Canyons, the Dome Wilderness, and Jemez Mountains.

Hikers enjoy all seasons at the monument.
Veterans’ Memorial Scenic Overlook

The Veterans’ Memorial Scenic Overlook was dedicated in 2004, 

to all American Veterans. The overlook provides spectacular 

vistas of Camada and Peralta canyons, the Dome Wilderness 

and Jemez mountains. From the main trailhead parking area 

travel 3.5 miles west on BLM 1011 to the Veterans’ Memorial 

Scenic Overlook parking area. The overlook offers a quiet area 

for contemplation and reflection. Road conditions and access 

are seasonal. At the overlook, you will find ADA-accessible picnic 

areas, rest rooms, trails and facilities.

Your Safety, Our Concern

STAY ON DESIGNATED TRAILS.

NO CLIMBING ON ROCK FORMATIONS OR INTO CAVE

Volcanic deposits, tuff rock and vegetation are extremely fragile 

and easily damaged by foot traffic. Your two feet may not seem like 

much but multiply that by thousands!

Water

There is no drinking water available at the monument. Please 

bring your own drinking water. (Glass containers can be 

hazardous and are best left at home.)

Weather

During periods of inclement weather, the access road may wash 

out or become impassible. Contact the BLM or the monument for 

current road conditions.

Pueblo de Cochiti

Please respect the traditions and privacy of the Pueblo de 

Cochiti. Photography, drawings, and recordings are not permitted 

in the Pueblo or on Tribal land without permit.

Rules and Fines

For the health and safety of all visitors, the 

monument is closed to dogs. Only identifiable 

service animals are allowed. 

Strictly prohibited: climbing and defacing the 

formations and cave, use of drones, shooting, collecting plants 

and rocks. 

The monument is a Day Use Only area—No camping, fires, or 

cooking is allowed.

Fines range from $50 to $250 for violating federal regulations on 

fees, speeding, damage to the monument’s natural resources, 

and other infractions. For a complete listing, call the BLM Law 

Enforcement.

WELCOME TO

KASHA-KATUWE TENT ROCKS

NATIONAL MONUMENT

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages KashaKatuwe Tent Rocks National Monument (KKTR)to protect 

its geologic, scenic and cultural values. The agency works in 

close coordination and cooperation with the Pueblo de Cochiti 

to provide access, facility development and maintenance, 

resource protection, research 

opportunities, public 

education and enjoyment.

The Pueblo de Cochiti has 

always considered this area 

a significant place. “KashaKatuwe” means “white 

cliffs” in the traditional 

Keresan language of the 

pueblo. Under the BLM’s 

administration, these lands 

were designated as an Area 

of Critical Environmental 

Concern and contain a 

National Recreational 

Trail. On January 17, 2001, 

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks 

was designated a national 

monument.

Of Time and the Rocks

Located on the Pajarito 

Plateau in north-central New Mexico, the monument is a 

remarkable outdoor laboratory, offering an opportunity to observe, 

study, and experience the geologic processes that shape natural 

landscapes. The elevation of the monument ranges from 5,570 

feet to 6,760 feet above sea level.

The cone-shaped tent rock formations are the products of 

volcanic eruptions that occurred 6 to 7 million years ago and left 

pumice, ash and tuff deposits over 1,000 feet thick. Tremendous 

explosions from the Jemez volcanic field spewed pyroclasts 

(rock fragments), while searing hot gases blasted down slopes 

in an incandescent avalanche called a “pyroclastic flow.” In close 

inspections of the arroyos, visitors will discover small, rounded, 

translucent obsidian (volcanic glass) fragments created by rapid 

cooling. Please leave these fragments for others to enjoy.

Precariously perched on many of the tapering hoodoos are 

boulder caps that protect the softer pumice and tuff below. 

Some tents have lost their hard, resistant caprocks and are 

disintegrating. While fairly uniform in shape, the tent rock 

formations vary in height from a few feet to 90 feet.

As the result of uniform layering of volcanic material, bands of 

grey are interspersed with beige and pink-colored rock along the 

cliff face. Over time, wind 

and water cut into these 

deposits creating canyons 

and arroyos, scooping holes 

in the rock, and contouring 

the ends of small, inward 

ravines into smooth semicircles.

Historical and Cultural 

Perspective

The complex landscape 

and spectacular geologic scenery of the monument has been a 

focal point for visitors for centuries. Surveys have recorded many 

archaeological sites reflecting human occupation spanning 4,000 

years. During the 14th and 15th centuries, several large ancestral 

pueblos were established and their descendants, the Pueblo de 

Cochiti, still inhabit the surrounding area.

In 1540, the Spanish explorer Francisco Vasquez de 

Coronado made mention of the Pueblo de Cochiti in their diaries. 

Throughout the 17th century, settlers would follow Juan de 

Oñate’s route along the Rio Grande Valley, bringing trade, farming 

and domestic animals, and claiming land grants from the Spanish 

Crown. In 1680, the Cochiti people joined other pueblos in a 

rebellion that drove the Spaniards south to El Paso, Texas. By 

1870, iron rails stretched into the territory of New Mexico bringing 

loggers, miners and others to enjoy its rich natural resources.

Plants and Animals

In the midst of the formations, clinging to the cracks and crevices 

high on the cliff face, the vibrant green leaves and red bark of 

the manzanita shrub stand in sharp contrast to the muted colors 

of the rocks. A hardy 

evergreen, the manzanita 

produces a pinkish-white 

flower in the spring that 

adds to the plant’s luster. 

Other desert plants found 

in the area include Indian 

paintbrush, Apache plume, 

rabbitbrush, and desert 

marigold.

Depending on the season, 

you are likely to see 

a variety of birds. Red-tailed hawks, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, 

House Finches, violet-green swallows, Hepatic Tanagers, and 

an occasional golden eagle soar above the area or use piñoncovered terrain near the cliffs.

The ponderosa pine and piñon-juniper woodlands provide 

habitat for big game and nongame animals. Elk, mule deer, and 

wild turkey frequent the higher elevations. Coyotes, chipmunks, 

rabbits, and ground squirrels are prevalent.

Getting There

The monument includes 5,610 

acres of public land located 35 

miles south of Santa Fe and 52 

miles north of Albuquerque, with 

the most direct access from 

Interstate 25. From Albuquerque, 

take the exit for Santo Domingo/

Cochiti Lake Recreation Area (Exit 

259) off I-25 onto NM Route (SR)

22. Follow the signs on SR 22 to

Cochiti Pueblo and Kasha-Katuwe

Tent Rocks National Monument.

Turn right off SR 22 at the pueblo

turquoise-colored water towers

onto the access road, Tribal

Route 92, which connects to

BLM Road 1011/FS 266. From 

the fee station, travel 4 miles 

to the monument’s designated 

parking/picnic area and trailhead. 

Recreation vehicles (RV’s) are not suggested on the gravel road 

leading to the Veterans’ Memorial Scenic Overlook and Loop Trail.

From Santa Fe, take the Cochiti Pueblo Exit 264 off I-25 onto NM 

Route (SR)16. Turn right off SR 16 onto SR 22 and follow the 

signs to Cochiti Pueblo and KKTR.

GPS coordinates: 35o36’52.0”N106o21’33.2”W

A portion of the 4-mile access road to the monument crosses 

Pueblo de Cochiti tribal land. Neighbors in the vicinity include the 

Santo Domingo and Jemez Pueblos, private landowners, and the 

Santa Fe National Forest. Please 

respect these landowners and 

their property. Restrictions are 

posted.

National Recreational Trail

The National Recreational Trail is 

for foot travel only, and contains 

two segments that provide 

opportunities for bird-watching, 

geologic observation and plant 

identification. Both segments of 

the trail begin at the designated 

monument parking area. The 

Cave Loop Trail is 1.2 miles 

long, rated as easy and portions 

are ADA accessible. The more 

difficult Canyon Trail is a 1.5-mile 

trek up a narrow canyon with a 

steep (630-ft) climb to the mesa 

top for excellent views of the Sangre de Cristo, Jemez, Sandia 

mountains and the Rio Grande Valley. Both trails are maintained; 

however, during inclement weather the canyon may flash flood 

and lightning may strike the ridges.

Hours of Operation

Entry into the monument is between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

Closing procedures begin at 3:30 p.m. to clear monument by

5:00 p.m. Gates are locked and monument is closed at 

5:00 p.m.

VISITORS MUST BE OUT OF THE 

FEE -BOOTH-GATED AREA BY CLOSING TIME.

During periods of peak visitation, such as holidays and 

weekends, the monument quickly fills to capacity—all 

available parking spaces become filled. This forces staff 

to hold visitors at fee booth until parking spaces become 

available. One can expect a 30-minute to 90-minute wait. 

Closure Dates

The monument will be closed to visitation on the following 

dates:

Emergency Assistance

Call 911 for the Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office

January 1

January 6

Friday before Easter

Easter Sunday

Monday after Easter

July 13-14

July 25

November 1

Thanksgiving Day

December 25

May 3

Bureau of Land Management

Albuquerque District, Rio Puerco Field Office

100 Sun Ave. NE

Pan American Bldg., Suite 330

Albuquerque, NM 87109

505/761-8700, or 

the monument 505/331-6259

www.blm.gov/new-mexico

BLM/NM/GI-05-08-1232

The boulder “cap” protects the fragile 

tent-shaped formation beneath it.

The House Finch is commonly seen 

at the monument—the male has a 

bright red chest while the female is 

brown with bold streaks.

Photo courtesy of Fish & Wildlife Service

Manzanita–used for medicinal purposes by 

Native Ameircans.

Recreationalists enjoy the unique rock 

formations along the Slot Canyon Trail.

The monument serves as an outdoor 

laboratory for students of all ages.