Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument is located on the Pajarito Plateau, with elevations ranging from 5,570 to 6,760 feet above sea level. And it was near the top of our list of places to visit in New Mexico.
On a sunny Saturday morning in late March, our friends Dale and Ingi joined us on a hike through the slot canyon, located about an hour’s drive north of Rio Rancho.
Get an Early Start
We arrived at the fee station around 10:30 am. The entrance fee to the monument was based on the number of adults in your car – we paid $5.00 for four adults. The parking lots at the trailheads are about five miles from the fee booth. The lots were filling up fast, making us glad for our early start.
Be aware that during peak visiting times, the monument closes until parking spaces become available.
Tent Rocks Monument Trails
There are two trails you can choose from: The Slot Canyon Trail and The Cave Loop Trail.
After reviewing the trail guide, we decided to start with the 1.5 miles out and back Slot Canyon Trail. It is the more difficult of the two trails, and we wanted to hike it while it was early.
The trail guide brochure describes it as “a trek up a narrow canyon with a steep (630-ft) climb to the mesa top for excellent views of the Sangre de Cristo, Jemez, and the Sandia Mountains and the Rio Grande Valley.” (National Conservation Lands Trail Guide Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, Bureau of Land Management, Albuquerque District)
Slot canyons are formed by the wear of water rushing through rock and are significantly deeper than wide. Some can measure less than three feet across at the top and drop to more than 100 feet to the floor of the canyon.
After walking the half-mile portion of the trail that is shared with the Cave Loop Trail, we headed into the canyon.
Into the Tent Rocks Slot Canyon
This is the entrance to the slot canyon passageway. If you’re claustrophobic, you may not like this section. Last chance to turn around!
When walking through the narrow canyon trail, be prepared to step to the side when encountering hikers heading in the opposite direction. You’ll also need to turn sideways to pass through several areas of the passageway.
This is the view when looking up at the sky from the bottom of the canyon.
After hiking through the narrow passages, we stopped for a quick rest. Andy took advantage of the beauty in the area to take a few more pictures.
Hiking to the Top
Once you’re out of the passageway, you’re on the trail to the top. The scalloped edges on the hoodoos are amazing!
The views keep getting better from here!
The cone-shaped tent rock formations are the result of volcanic eruptions occurring over 6 million years ago. The eruptions left pumice, ash, and tuff deposits over 1,000 feet thick. The tent rock formations vary in height from a few feet to 90 feet.
Performing a fantastic balancing act on many of the hoodoos are boulder caps. These caps protect the softer pumice and tuff below. The tents that have lost their caprocks are slowly disintegrating.
The nearly 360-degree view from the top of the mesa made the hike through the narrow passages and the steep climb worth every step.
After seeing as much as we could and resting a bit, we began our descent down the trail. When we started our hike that morning, the trail wasn’t crowded. On the way down there were many hikers on the way up, and we often stepped to the side and rested while the crowd went by.
We were soon walking past the hoodoos again. They reminded us of very tall hobbit houses.
Once again, we entered the slot canyon.
After completing the Slot Canyon Trail, we walked the Cave Loop Trail back to the parking lot. In addition to the cave, this trail provides a different view of the Hoodoos.
The Shelter Cave along the Cave Loop Trail
View of the mesa from the Cave Loop Trail. In the distance are hoodoos with boulder caps.
In this area, there are smaller formations that lost their protective caps a long time ago.
When we arrived at the parking lot, there were many cars in the overflow areas of this popular attraction in north-central New Mexico.
In March, the weather was comfortable, and crowds were not as large as those in the late spring and summer months. If you are planning a visit, late March is a good time. However, be sure to check for closures and updated information before planning your visit to Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks.
Photo credits: Photography by Andreas