Last week-end in New Mexico and in the USA…
There is still so much to be seen around Albuquerque, but the Bandelier was a very good choice for our last day-trip!
We drove through Rio Rancho, Jemez Pueblo, Jemez Springs and the Valles Calderas National Preserve to the Bandelier, where we enjoyed two short hikes. A fire destroyed a big part of the forest in 2011, and the damage is still impressive to see while crossing it.
Once in the Monument we first made the most popular walk (Main Loop Trail), which goes through different proof of remote human presence, including the caves that those populations used as homes. Then we made a part of the Falls Trail, a big part being closed due to the fire and floods. There are a lot of other possibilities of visiting that place, there is even a 18 hours trail!
Then we stopped at the White Rocks Overlook before enjoying a deserved ice cream in Los Alamos.
Finally, we drove back through Jemez Springs again. Just the journey is worth it, the landscapes are just beautiful, and even more in spring as all the Cottonwoods are freshly green!
