Bandelier National Monument is a National Monument in New Mexico. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 5 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in Bandelier
We matched 5 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Bandelier. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Waterfalls (2)
Caves (2)
Wilderness Areas (1)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Bandelier the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 31° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:15 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:15 PM | 244° | 10h 00m |
| February | 6:53 AM | 7:29 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:47 PM | 255° | 10h 54m |
| March | 7:17 AM | 7:51 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:13 PM | 268° | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:33 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:39 PM | 283° | 13h 06m |
| May | 6:01 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:04 PM | 294° | 14h 03m |
| June | 5:50 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:24 PM | 300° | 14h 34m |
| July | 6:01 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:22 PM | 298° | 14h 21m |
| August | 6:25 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:56 PM | 288° | 13h 31m |
| September | 6:49 AM | 7:22 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:14 PM | 274° | 12h 25m |
| October | 7:12 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:56 PM | 6:31 PM | 260° | 11h 19m |
| November | 6:42 AM | 7:19 AM | 4:22 PM | 4:59 PM | 248° | 10h 17m |
| December | 7:09 AM | 7:48 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:54 PM | 242° | 9h 45m |
Computed for the park's reference point (35.7790, -106.3317); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Bandelier, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 4:53 AM – 5:23 AM | 0.5 | 15° |
| March | 3:58 AM – 5:48 AM | 1.8 | 22° |
| April | 1:59 AM – 4:59 AM | 3.0 | 25° |
| May | 12:04 AM – 4:14 AM | 4.2 | 25° |
| June | 10:12 PM – 3:52 AM | 5.7 | 25° |
| July | 10:07 PM – 2:27 AM | 4.3 | 25° |
| August | 9:30 PM – 12:30 AM | 3.0 | 25° |
| September | 8:40 PM – 10:30 PM | 1.8 | 22° |
| October | 7:56 PM – 8:26 PM | 0.5 | 15° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
3 Estimated Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead.
Weather & best time to visit
Spring daytime temperatures in the 70's can be followed by a snow storm with wet heavy snow and daytime temperatures in the 40's. Summers are dry with June usually being the hottest month of the year. Days in July, August and September often end with thunderstorms that can drop heavy localized rain and are often accompanied by lightning. Autumn weather is usually sunny with blue skies and warm (but not hot) days and cool nights. Winter average snowfall 25". Snow and ice can close trails and roads.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 32% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (52%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones. Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
| Entrance fee | Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| Entrance - Private Vehicle | $25.00 |
| Entrance - Motorcycle | $20.00 |
| Entrance - Per Person | $15.00 |
Fees as published by the NPS when this page was built — confirm on nps.gov before you go.
Getting there
From NM285 US84 in Pojaque NM. West on NM502, West on NM4 to White rock. Then 12 miles to the monument entrance on the south side of the road. Bandelier is in a remote location, with cell service in the canyon limited to Verizon 4G only. Services like Uber and Lyft will bring you here, but there may be no way to contact a ride out. Please plan your pickup before being dropped off at Bandelier.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Arts and Culture
- Craft Demonstrations
- Cultural Demonstrations
- Astronomy
- Stargazing
- Camping
- Backcountry Camping
- Car or Front Country Camping
- Group Camping
- Food
- Dining
- Picnicking
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Hiking
- Backcountry Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Junior Ranger Program
- Skiing
- Cross-Country Skiing
- Snowshoeing
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
- Park Film
Nearby parks
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