New Mexico / Los Alamos County / Bandelier National Monument

Juniper Campground

Open — Open year-round. Black Bear Loop (Loop B) sites are reservable year-round. Coyote Loop (Loop C) sites are reservable seasonally from March 1 through October 31. Abert's Squirrel Loop (Loop A) operates first-come, first-served year-round. Check-out time is 11:30 AM.

About

Juniper Family Campground is located just inside the main entrance to Bandelier National Monument on the Pajarito Plateau. The campground serves as an ideal base camp for exploring the monument's 70+ miles of trails, ancestral Pueblo dwellings, and petroglyphs. The 52 sites are spread across three distinct loops with different reservation systems. Loop A (Abert's Squirrel) operates as first-come, first-served year-round. Loop B (Black Bear) is reservable year-round up to 6 months in advance. Loop C (Coyote) is reservable seasonally from March 1 to October 31. Two group sites accommodate up to 20 people each and require advance reservations. The campground offers flush toilets, potable water, a seasonal dump station, and an amphitheater for ranger programs. Two trails are accessible directly from the campground: the Frey Trail descends into Frijoles Canyon following a historic route, while the Tyuonyi Overlook Trail crosses the mesa to overlook an ancestral Pueblo village. The campground sits within easy reach of the Bandelier Visitor Center, Los Alamos, White Rock, and the Jemez Mountains. During mid-May through mid-October, shuttle service provides access to Frijoles Canyon. The elevation and piñon-juniper woodland setting offer cooler summer temperatures and support diverse wildlife including mule deer, Abert's squirrels, and numerous bird species.

Directions

From Santa Fe (approximately 1 hour): Take Highway 84/285 north toward Los Alamos. Merge right onto NM 502 to Los Alamos. Exit onto NM 4 toward White Rock. Continue for 12 miles, passing through White Rock. Bandelier's entrance is on the left. Turn right onto Campground Road. From White Rock: Head west on NM 4 for 10 miles. Turn into park entrance and proceed past entrance station. Campground is accessed by the first road on the right. GPS is not recommended for navigation to Bandelier.

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