Travel Tips on Exploring Your Sense of Adventure
Tent Rocks is a great opportunity to see the geological conclusion from mother nature whittling away at the landscape over time. A collection of cone-shaped rocks, called hoodoos are scattered throughout this area, which gives rise to an out of this world hike. The incredible views you will encounter are well worth it.
Established as a national monument in 2001, the Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks is a gem located on the Pajarito Plateau in the north-central part of New Mexico. Make sure to go explore this unique landscape.
In a land before human time, about 6 to 7 million years ago, the Jemez Volcano erupted. This eruption, spewed a flow of pyroclast deposits around the area, which consisted of ash, rocks, tuff and pumice. Next, came the weather beating against the rocks and causing erosion to take place.
The final outcome resulted in the creation of hoodoos with layered deposits within its structured. On top of some of the hoodoos (cone-shaped rock formations), you will see boulder caps. These help protect the underlaying tuff and pumice from harsh erosions that would otherwise destroy it faster over time.
The Cave Loop Trail is only 1.2 miles long, with minimal elevation gain. It should take you less than 45 minutes to walk this path. As you hike along, try to identity which plants and animals are occupying the area. Want to know more about what organisms inhabit this area or other cool guides then check out the New Mexico Forest and Watershed Restoration Institute.
Halfway up the trail, you will come across a small cave, located higher in the rocks. Wonder how people were able to access it, if its so high? Well erosion has sadly deteriorated some of the rock, so the part they would of used to climbed up, is no longer present.
The black spot you will see on the caves ceiling, was due from the use of fires. In addition, the cave being higher up meant they were protected from animals and the weather. It is a small piece of history still intact for you to view and the trail is a beautiful trek, so don’t miss it.
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The Slot Canyon Trail is the real reason you stopped by Tent Rocks National Monument. If you are going to hike both, then do this one first. Hike the first 0.5 miles of the trailhead, which takes you to an area for the two hikes to begin.
Going right at the fork will take you on the 1.5 miles trek up the canyon to the end, where an overlook is present. Here you will be able to view the hoodoos, the Rio Grande Valley, and a few mountains like the Jemez or Sangre de Cristo. Hiking this trail will show you some of the lands amazing scenery, with the cone-shaped rock formations and winding slot canyons.
Plan on a hike where you will have to climb over some rocks and up a steeper incline, towards the end. The first part you will need to hike is a mostly flat dirt path, that will lead you into narrow canyons. A few places will have small boulders you will need to climb over.
Once you exit the more narrow slot canyons, you will start the 630 feet climb up. This is the more difficult part, but can be done by most people. As we were hiking it, we noticed a few younger kids and older people who were going slow, but made it all the way up. Hiking the trail in and out should take 2 to 3 hours.
The best time to visit is when the weather is great and the crowds are limit. The parking lot can get filled up at the more popular times. Many decide to visit during the summer months. Bring extra water if you plan on this time since temperatures can be high and it can be very dry. Like it was mentioned prior, with good weather comes larger crowds.
The fall and spring months are perfect for hiking since the temperatures drop, so dress with layers and bring that water. Winter can bring snow, which can be fun for some to hike in, but can make spots more slippery. So be careful, I almost slipped on an area of ice on a shaded portion of the trail.
Lastly, you are visiting a desert and with it comes weather that can produce flash floods or lighting. Always check weather conditions beforehand. If a flash flood happens, there is very few spots to seek cover.
Have you visited the Tent Rocks National Monument? Did you enjoy yourself and is there anything you would recommend? Have any other activities or places we should see, let us know in the comments section. From Phoenix? Hi neighbor! Thanks for taking a look at our site and don’t forget to subscribe for future articles and tips.
The information on this website has come from research and by experiencing it ourselves. Opening hours, closures, prices, etc. are always subject to change. We try to keep up to date on any new information, or tips to help make your adventure more enjoyable.
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