Designated by US Congress in 2001, Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument is part of the Pajarito Plateau in north-central New Mexico. Wind and water erosion has created unique cone-shaped rock formations from pumice, ash, and tuff deposits from volcanic eruptions that occurred 6 to 7 million years ago. This area is recognized as the ancestral homelands of the Cochiti and is managed today in close cooperation with the Pueblo. Visitors can experience the geology and cultural significance of this area by hiking the challenging Slot Canyon Trail or taking a moment to reflect at Veterans’ Memorial Overlook.

The Bureau of Land Management in coordination with our partners in the gateway community of Pueblo de Cochiti will implement a day use reservation system in order to reopen Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument and meet the CDC, state and local guidance related to COVID-19. Advance reservations are required for all visitors. Each vehicle entering the Monument will need a reservation. Visitors with a reservation may enter as early as 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. The Monument will remain open until 5:00 p.m., at which time all visitors must exit.

The Monument is a popular destination from Albuquerque and Santa Fe, so early reservations are recommended!

Designated by US Congress in 2001, Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument is part of the Pajarito Plateau in north-central New Mexico. Wind and water erosion has created unique cone-shaped rock formations from pumice, ash, and tuff deposits from volcanic eruptions that occurred 6 to 7 million years ago. This area is recognized as the ancestral homelands of the Cochiti and is managed today in close cooperation with the Pueblo. Visitors can experience the geology and cultural significance of this area by hiking the challenging Slot Canyon Trail or taking a moment to reflect at Veterans’ Memorial Overlook.

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, Cochiti Pueblo Picture: Slot Canyon Trail - Check out Tripadvisor members' 2,136 candid photos and videos. The second and one of the best hikes in New Mexico is Slot Canyon Trail. It is called Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks Hike. There is only one trailhead to Slot Canyon Trail and Cave Loop Trail. So, go straight to the Slot Canyon. Tent Rocks Slot Canyon and Cave Loop CLOSED is a 3.1 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Cochiti Pueblo, New Mexico that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. The trail is primarily used for hiking and is accessible year-round. Length 3.1 miElevation gain 839 ftRoute type Loop.

The Slot Canyon Trail is located at Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, about 40 miles west of Santa Fe. Google Maps The national monument is open daily from 8 a.m.

The Bureau of Land Management in coordination with our partners in the gateway community of Pueblo de Cochiti will implement a day use reservation system in order to reopen Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument and meet the CDC, state and local guidance related to COVID-19. Advance reservations are required for all visitors. Each vehicle entering the Monument will need a reservation. Visitors with a reservation may enter as early as 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. The Monument will remain open until 5:00 p.m., at which time all visitors must exit.

The Monument is a popular destination from Albuquerque and Santa Fe, so early reservations are recommended!

Notifications and Alerts

• Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument remains closed due to COVID-19. The Bureau of Land Management, in coordination with our partners in the gateway community of Pueblo de Cochiti, will be transitioning to a day use reservation system when it is safe to reopen the Monument. Check back for details as you plan your visit.

Need to Know

• Entry Rules

  This permit does not assign a parking space but allows for one vehicle entry into Monument starting at 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Visitors with a reservation must enter during this time and will not be permitted access after 2 p.m. The Monument will remain open until 5:00 p.m., at which time all visitors must exit.

• How many reservations do I need?

  Only one day use reservation is required for a vehicle and all occupants. Visitors are allowed up to 3 private vehicle reservation per day.

• Reservation Requirements

  Day use vehicle reservations must be purchased online at Recreation.gov or using the Recreation.gov mobile app. Reservations will not be sold at the Kasha-Katuwe. Day use reservations are non-transferable and resale or auction of reservations is prohibited.

• Arrive Early

  In order to ensure enough time to complete the Slot Canyon Trail, it is recommended to arrive before 1:00 p.m.

• Park Closing Time

  Park Rangers begin closing procedures start at 3:30 p.m. from the end of the Slot Canyon Trail on top of the Mesa. The Monument is closed promptly at 5 p.m. in consideration to the local gateway community of Pueblo de Cochiti.

• Pets

  Pets are prohibited.

• Passes

  If you have an annual or lifetime pass at the time of your reservation, those are accepted as your private vehicle entrance fee, however you will be required to pay for a reservation ($2; non-refundable). Valid entrance passes currently accepted are: Interagency Annual Pass, Interagency Senior Pass, Interagency Access Pass, Interagency Volunteer Pass, Interagency Military Pass, Interagency 4th Grade Pass, Golden Age, Golden Access. Valid ID tha matches the pass is required at the entrance station.

• Facilities and Trails:

  The trails are for foot traffic only. No horses, bikes or motorized vehicles.

  The Cave Loop Trail is 1.2 miles long, rated as easy.

  The Slot Canyon Trail is a 1.5-mile, one-way trek into a narrow canyon with a steep (630-ft) climb to the mesa top for excellent views of the Sangre de Cristo, Jemez, Sandia mountains and the Rio Grande Valley. It is considered moderately strenuous, requiring the use of hands and feet to scramble up and through narrow cracks and along steep ledges above drop offs. Sturdy footwear is recommended.

  The Veterans Memorial Trail is a 1-mile long loop trail, rated as very easy and is wheelchair accessible from the overlook parking lot.

• Weather

  Summer temperatures can exceed 90 degrees. During the summer monsoon season, the canyon may flash flood and lightning may strike the ridges.

  Winter can bring snowstorms and temperatures below freezing.

  Both winter and summer storms could cause the Monument to close.

• Services

  No food or water is available at the Monument. Visitors are advised to bring at least one quart (one liter) of water per person.

• Amenities

  Accessible picnic tables, shelters and vault toilets are available at both trailheads.

• Leave no Trace

  Please leave natural resources and cultural artifacts, rocks, and structures alone. Pack out what you brought in and take only pictures home with you.

Booking Windows

Kasha-Katuwe National Monument remains closed at this time due to COVID-19. Once there is a set date for reopening there will be a release of tickets. Following this initial release of inventory, reservations are available three months in advance on the first of the month at 7 a.m. PT. Example: On August 1, reservations will be available for the dates of October 1-31.

Changes and Cancellations

Reservation Fee: There is a $2.00 non-refundable reservation fee per ticket

Amenity Fee:

• Standard Vehicle (1-8 people) - $5.00 per vehicle
• Van (9-25 people) - $25.00 per van
• Bus (26-100 people) - $100.00 per bus

Pass holders are required to pay the $2.00 non-refundable reservation fee. Be prepared to show your annual or lifetime pass, associated valid ID and your day use vehicle reservation ticket.

Valid entrances passes accepted are:

• Interagency Annual Pass
• Interagency Senior Annual or Lifetime Pass
• Interagency Access Pass
• Interagency Volunteer Pass
• Interagency Military Pass
• Interagency 4th Grade Pass
• Golden Age Pass
• Golden Access Pass

Cancellation Policy: If you cannot make a trip, please cancel your reservation. Cancellations must be made by midnight prior to the day of arrival for a full refund less the non-refundable per-ticket reservation fee. Refunds will not be given for tickets cancelled or modified after midnight on the day of the reservation. To submit your cancellation, please login to your Recreation.gov account to view and cancel your reservation.

No Show Policy: If you do not arrive during reserved day your fee will not be refunded, and you will be refused entry into the Monument.

If the Monument is closed due to a weather related event, the amenity fee will be refunded.

Contact Information

Mailing Address

Rio Puerco Field Office 100 Sun Avenue NE Albuquerque NM 87109

Phone Number

505-761-8700

Available Tours and Tickets

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Located about 50 miles north of Albuquerque, this place is one of my favorite locations in the entire state. I’ve done the hike several times and the level of amazement and wonder at the beauty to be found there has not yet waned. The Slot Canyon Trail at the Kasha-Katuwe* Tent Rocks National Monument is an opportunity to marvel at what the passage of time can do to a landscape.

*Kasha-Katuwe means “white rocks” in Keresan, a pueblo language. The national monument is located near the Cochiti Pueblo.

The name “Tent Rocks” comes from the cone-shaped rock formations (also called hoodoos) created from a volcanic explosion over 6-7 million years ago. The monument includes several areas for hiking and sightseeing, including the Veteran’s Memorial Scenic Overlook, Shelter Cave, the Cave Loop, and the Slot Canyon Trail.

The trail is a three-mile loop that is easily done in about two and a half to three hours. It is a beginner-level hike, which is great for someone like me who isn’t a hiker but enjoys the great outdoors. Both the Cave Loop and Slot Canyon Trail begin at the same place, just off the parking lot. The Cave Loop trail circles the base of the tent rocks and is a mile loop, dotted with juniper trees and posted information about the geology and history of the area. At the half mile point of the loop, the Slot Canyon Trail breaks off to the right.

As the trail winds through the canyon, a large tree with gnarled roots big enough to hide behind acts as your portal to a sacred place. Once past the tree, the canyon walls rise up and the trail gets narrow. The modern world and all its trouble and worries disappear within this place as you wind past boulders and rocks and view trees and bushes that literally grow and survive off the sides of the canyon. The weight of time and the past pull you from your worries and cares as you begin to understand the temporariness of your place in the universe.

The first part of the Slot Canyon Trail is a gradual easy increase in elevation. Around the mid-point, the trail gets steep. You have to scramble over boulders and rocks as the path continues to rise. Railroad ties placed within the side of the mesa assist in the ascent, but it is still a steep journey. For someone afraid of heights (like me) there is always a big fear of just how temporary my place in the universe might actually become, but at Tent Rocks I always push past that, which is a sign of how wonderful this place is.

When you reach the top you’ll experience some truly beautiful views, as it seems you see the entire northern part of the state from here. After taking some time to rest and experience the beauty of the area, you’ll go back down the way you came, but you’ll be changed. And if you’re not changed, you’re not doing it right.

Tips for Your Visit

Tent Rocks Slot Canyon Hike South Rim

• There is a $5 fee to get into the area. Check out their site to ensure they are open the day you visit.
• Try to get there as early as possible (the monument opens at 7 a.m. in the spring and summer and 8 a.m. in the fall and winter). The Slot Canyon Trail is narrow in certain spots, and at the midpoint of the loop it you have to climb over some rocks and boulders as the elevation increases. If you go earlier, you don’t have to wait for other hikers, and you’ll save yourself the embarrassment of being overheard by anyone as you wail about the heights and curse openly at Little Trickster for talking you into this trip (but maybe that’s just me).
• Bring your own drinking water, as there isn’t any running water at monument. Also, if hiking in the spring or summer, be sure to bring a hat and sunscreen, as there is pretty much no shade.
• Be sure to bring proper footwear. While the hike is easy, it’s not flip-flop easy.
• Dogs are not allowed on the trail.

Tent Rocks Slot Canyon Hikes

Visit the official site for Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks.