Ponderosa Group Campground (NM)

Ponderosa Group Campground is located 6 miles (9.7 km) from the main entrance of Bandelier National Monument and is an ideal place to stay for large groups. The campground is adjacent to the Ponderosa Trailhead, providing access to more than 70 miles (113 km) of hiking trails, and is just a short drive from the Visitor Center, the Frijoles Canyon shuttle system, and the town of Los Alamos, Valles Caldera National Preserve, Manhattan Project National Historic Site and the Santa Fe National Forest. It is open year-round. The campground is located at 7600 feet (2316 m) and is usually free of snow from mid-April through mid-October. Water is available only from mid-May to mid-October, subject to delays or early shut off, and is not available during any months with freezing temperatures, potentially mid-October to mid-May. Vault toilets (with no running water), drinking water, a picnic shelter, picnic tables, food storage lockers and campfire rings are provided. There are no hookup campsites. Sites are tent-only, but one RV per site can be accommodated in the parking area, and each site can accommodate between 10 and 50 people. Public events are prohibited at Ponderosa Campground; private events that adhere to campsite capacity limits may be permitted with a special use permit. Frijoles Canyon and the park Visitor Center are accessible only by shuttle bus from mid-May to mid-October, with stops at the Bandelier Visitor Center, Juniper Campground and the White Rock Visitor Center in the town of White Rock. Outside the shuttle bus period, visitors may access all park areas by private vehicle. From the campground, the Ponderosa Trail descends into the park through ponderosa pine forest and connects to many other trails, including the Middle Frijoles Trails, which lead 8 miles (13 km) through Frijoles Canyon to the Visitor Center and Main Loop Trail. The Visitor Center houses museum exhibits, the park film, information and ranger programs. Rock climbing is prohibited within Bandelier National Monument, but many popular climbs are within a short drive up Route 4 into the Jemez Mountains. Bandelier National Monument protects over 33,000 acres (13,355 ha) of rugged, beautiful canyon and mesa country which features evidence of human presence going back over 11,000 years. Petroglyphs, dwellings carved into the soft rock cliffs, and standing masonry walls pay tribute to the early days of a culture that still survives in the surrounding communities. The monument sits at the southern end of the Pajarito Plateau (pajarito is Spanish for little bird), formed by two eruptions 1.6 and 1.4 million years ago. Home to the Bandelier Wilderness, it ranges from 5340 feet (1628 m) at the Rio Grande River to 10,199 feet (3109 m) at the summit of Cerro Grande — almost a mile (1.6 km) of elevation change in just under 12 miles (19 km). Pinon-juniper woodlands dominate the southern parts of the park, transitioning through ponderosa pine savannahs and forests and finally reaching mixed conifer forests at the highest elevation, with desert grasslands, montane meadows and riparian areas scattered in the canyon bottoms. Over 70 miles (113 km) of trails climb in and out of deep canyons and cross large flat mesas, showcasing the entire spectrum of volcanic geology and ecosystems found within the park. The park is home to over 55 species of mammals including mule deer, Abert's squirrels, mountain lions, black bears and 16 species of bats, and reptiles and amphibians of all shapes and sizes can be seen. Birds such as Steller's jays, canyon towhees and mountain chickadees stay year-round, whereas turkey vultures, western tanagers and black-headed grosbeaks are summer residents. The town of Los Alamos has shopping, museums, amenities, a movie theater, ice rink and ski hill, and is home to the Los Alamos unit of Manhattan Project National Historic Site; nearby Department of Energy and US Forest Service lands provide trails which accommodate pets. Valles Caldera National Preserve is 16 miles (26 km) west, Jemez Historic Site is 37 miles (60 km) west, Pecos National Historical Park is 70 miles (113 km) southeast, and Santa Fe, 40 miles (64 km) south, is home to the New Mexico state capitol, museums, historic districts, art galleries and more.