tsankawi

This is a great short hike worthy of a stop. Most impressive is following in the footsteps of the earlier tribal community. The wear of the stone surface depicts centuries of footsteps.

The hike to the extinct pueblo at the top of the Mesa at Tsankawi is arduous, but not terribly difficult, and the views from the top are worth the effort to get there. In order to stay on the trail you must walk in very narrow slots carved into the crumbly tuff by millions of footsteps over centuries of use. You feel that you are connected to the Native Americans who once lived here because you are literally walking in their footsteps. In some places the worn slots in the trail are nearly waist high, so wear long trousers lest you scrape bate legs on the rocks.Most of the trail is not terribly steep, but you need good balance. If you are at all unsteady, I recommend a hiking stick. Be sure to take plenty of water. It is necessary to negotiate four high, but sturdy ladders along the route,You will see petroglyphs and ancient foot and hand holds carved into the rock along the trail. There is usually no Park Ranger on duty here, but there are bathrooms near the beginning of the trail. Usually there are no more than two other people on the trail.

This is s great half day outing from Santa FeEspecially if a warm winter day it is a great hike with our 4 year old amazing view a fun walk around mesas an up an down ladders

Not for someone that is afraid of heights, someone with small children, or overweight. You have to navigate several obstacles, squeeze in between rocks Take plenty of water as the cliffs are white and reflect a lot of light. Great views. 1.5 miles long.

An earlier reviewer was disappointed that "the attraction" wasn't much to see. That, to me, is what made the experience of hiking here special. Much of the Main Loop trail at the main part of Bandelier does feel like an attraction, with a very crowded shuttle bus ride, shrieky ice-cream-eating children, and people taking endless photos of their family members sitting in the cavates, which we had to wait in line to explore. Don't get me wrong, you should go there; it's fascinating and beautiful. But Tsankawi is also fascinating and beautiful, and you feel a bit like you are really exploring. We met only two other groups of hikers, plus a very nice ranger. The views are stunning everywhere you look, the cavates and petroglyphs and paths through the tuff are wonderful, and it's not a difficult hike at all. I am not a huge fan of heights, but the ladders didn't bother me; they're quite secure. The narrowness of the paths was a little more of a challenge--they're not narrow as in "along the edge of a cliff"--it's more that at some points, you're walking in a knee-high trough, and you can't put your feet next to one another. Really, though, it's not a big deal--the experience is unique and fun. As everyone says, it's hot in the middle of the day, and you should bring water.

This "satellite" section of the Bandelier National Monument provides a convenient way to gain some sense of Pueblo cliff dwellings without the hassles of visiting the main section of Bandelier. The trailhead is immediately off route 4, just shy of the junction with the truck route to Los Alamos. No need to fight the crowds or the shuttle buses awaiting you at Bandelier. The 1-1/2 mile loop trail literally takes you to a modest-sized cluster of cliff dwellings along the footpath of the Pueblo's, which is worn into the soft volcanic rock. In places, the footsteps of the ancient inhabitants have worn 12-18" troughs into the rock. One gets a firsthand sense of what it would have been like to return to one's home in the cliffside of a mesa after a day of farming. The cave dwellings are mostly smaller than those at the main section of Bandelier, and no one has engaged in the types of reconstruction of adobe out-walls that you can see at Bandelier, but the overall experience is made more vivid by being less crowded and less preened.

This is such a fun out-of-the-way place to go in New Mexico! You'll see some of the most intriguing views, ancient footpaths, and rock carvings. This place is great because you don't just get to see the way the ancients lived, you also get to put your feet where their feet once were. Another nice aspect is that these great things aren't at extreme distances from the beginning––you don't have to walk miles just to see one good thing. There are amazing things all along the way. (This can be good because the weather can quickly change in this part of the world, so if it begins to storm you may want to get back to your car soon!)

The vista's from the top are fantastic. A fairly easy short hike. A must visit if you have any interest in Native culture & history.

The ruins of a pueblo on a mesa top. Or, some unique trails cut in tuff with incredible views. Or, a strange little place with no fences or other intrusions after the initial interpretive kiosk. Or, a minor adventure along a cliff edge with a scary ladder (don't worry, it's safe). It's an outlier of Bandelier so there is a fee. Most common pronunciation has a silent initial T after which folks usually say sanka-WHEE (like you're really happy to get some instant coffee) but I have my doubts. Go ahead and include the T if you want. It sounds more elegant with the stress on the middle syllable. Who knows? Maybe that's right.

As a Native American descendant, the trip to Tsankawi was my favorite part of my trip to Santa Fe. My 8 year old son was part monkey as he climbed all over the cliffs and loved to hear the stories of what was at each station. It was an amazing view and memorable experience. Well worth the hike in the hot desert sun...just take lots of water, hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen.

45 minute walk past cliff ruins .quieter than the main part of bandelier monument. Beautiful views of distant mountains.

It isn't very often that you get the opportunity to literally walk in the footprints of a Native American. But at Tsankawi you get to. We drove here after our visit at Bandelier, hoping Tsankawi would be as wonderful. We loved the opportunity to climb the mountain, using the same trails that were used for hundreds of years. At the trail head, grab a map that explains everything at various stops. And early in the hike, be sure to take the path up the mountain at the 'Trail Loop' sign. Most people we saw missed the turnoff and missed out on something special.The views from the top were amazing! We also loved seeing the various petroglyphs and working to guess what they symbolized.This is another amazing hike - don't miss it!

Beautiful views add in a bit of robust hiking and that was our trip to Tsankawi. As we were going along the ancestral trail we kept imagine what it must have been like for those who came before us. The trail is very narrow in spots and at points kind of close to the edge. It also involves a bit of getting around some rocks that may be part of the trails wear good hiking shoes. Water and a hat is a must as it can be very hot with few shaded areas. The ladders were fun but watch out when going down the third one. The rungs are pretty far apart and a little hard to traverse for those with shorter legs. This was a wondeful experience and I highly recommend it if you are in the area.

Indian ruins, hiking and great views of the mesa and hike further to the Rio Grande. The area north about a mile on the right is great climbing, from what I hear and see from the number of cars there on the weekends.

If you have some more time after hiking the main trails at Bandelier, this hike is a nice addition to the day. Much fewer visitors and some great close up views of petroglyphs and centuries-old pottery shards.