
Alcove House will be closed through April so crews can remove flood debris from the surrounding area/NPS file
The Alcove House at Bandelier National Monument in New Mexico will be temporarily closed starting Monday so crews can remove flood debris from that area.
Portions of the Cottonwood Overflow Parking Lot will also be closed during this time. It is recommended that visitors arrive to Bandelier before 9 a.m. or after 3 p.m. to avoid parking lot congestion. At this time of year, it is very common for the parking lots in Frijoles Canyon to reach full capacity. When this happens, visitors are not permitted to enter and are asked to return later in the day.
On September 5, 2024, Frijoles Canyon was impacted by significant flash flooding. The Los Alamos area had been experiencing heavy rains that afternoon, and mid-Frijoles Canyon was especially affected according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) data. This buildup is apparently what lead to the flooding event. Current park data shows that the water levels rose to 5.74 feet. Normally, Frijoles Creek flows at about 1 foot.