Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument is a U.S. National Monument located approximately southwest of Santa Fe, New Mexico, near Cochiti Pueblo. Managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Cochiti Pueblo tribe, it was established as a national monument by President Bill Clinton in January 2001. Kasha-Katuwe means "white cliffs" in the Pueblo language Keresan. The monument is a unit of the BLM's National Conservation Lands.

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, a popular recreation area between Santa Fe and Albuquerque, was closed in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and remained closed until November 2024. To prevent crowding the BLM introduced a reservation system, which will allow about 75,000 visitors annually, a reduction from a peak of 130,000.

Geology

Kasha-Katuwe is located on the Pajarito Plateau between 5700 and 6400 feet (1737–1951 m) above sea level. The area owes its remarkable geology to layers of volcanic rock and ash deposited by pyroclastic flow from eruptions within the volcanic field of the Jemez Mountains that occurred 6 to 7 million years ago. These rock layers are assigned to the Peralta Tuff. Many of the layers are light in color, which is the origin of the monument's Keresan name. Over time, weathering and erosion of these layers has created slot canyons and tent rocks. The tent rocks are composed of soft pumice and tuff. Most of the tent rocks have a distinctly conical shape and some retain their caprocks of harder stone. The tent rocks vary in height from a few feet to . As of 21 November 2024, the monument has reopened.

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Image:Tent Rocks National Monument, New Mexico.jpg|Closeup of several of the largest hoodoos in the formation.

Image:kasha katuwe canyon1.jpg|Evidence of erosion in the slot canyon

Image:kasha katuwe canyon2.jpg|A narrow section of the slot canyon

Image:Kasha katuwe vista.jpg|Tent rocks, with Cochiti Pueblo lands and the Rio Grande in the distance

Image:kasha katuwe cave.jpg|Ruins of a Native American cliff dwelling

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See also

  • List of national monuments of the United States
  • Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah Wilderness Study Area
  • Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness
  • Bryce Canyon National Park
  • Đavolja Varoš
  • Demoiselles Coiffées de Pontis
  • Hoodoo (geology)
  • List of rock formations
  • Wilderness Act

References

  • U.S. Bureau of Land Management webpage for Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument
  • The Conservation System Alliance
  • Geologic Tour for Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, New Mexico Bureau of Geology & Mineral Resources
  • More Hiking Information for Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument
  • History and Driving Suggestions for Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument
  • Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument on TripAdvisor