Ponderosa Group Campground

About

Ponderosa Group Campground offers an ideal basecamp for larger groups exploring Bandelier National Monument's 33,000 acres of rugged canyon and mesa country. Situated at 7,600 feet in ponderosa pine forest, the campground is adjacent to the Ponderosa Trailhead, which connects to over 70 miles of trails including the Middle Frijoles Trail leading 8 miles to the Visitor Center and Main Loop Trail with its ancestral Pueblo cliff dwellings. The two group campsites accommodate 10-50 people each with a maximum of 5 vehicles per site. Amenities include picnic shelters with tables, fire rings, vault toilets, and food storage lockers. Water is typically available mid-May through mid-October only. The campground is tent-only, though one RV per site may park in the designated parking area without hookups. Reservations are required through Recreation.gov up to 12 months in advance; same-day reservations are not permitted. Check-in is at 4:00 PM and check-out at 11:30 AM. Pets must remain on leash and are prohibited on park trails. The campground is a short drive from the Frijoles Canyon Shuttle System (mid-May to mid-October), Los Alamos, Valles Caldera National Preserve, and Manhattan Project National Historic Site.

Directions

From Santa Fe (approximately 1 hour): Take Highway 84/285 north, merge right onto NM 502 to Los Alamos, exit onto NM 4 toward White Rock, continue 12 miles passing through White Rock. Bandelier's entrance is on the left. Ponderosa Group Campground is 6 miles past the park entrance on NM 4. GPS is not recommended; numerous visitors have been routed to remote trailheads.