Slot Canyon Trail Tent Rocks

Tent Rocks, Sandoval County, NM, USA GPS accuracy is poor while in the slot canyon but there is little chance of going off the trail. Amy Kelman 2 years, 7 months ago Sandoval County to Tent Rocks, Sandoval County, NM, USA. Canyon Trail offers an opportunity to explore a slot canyon and if you have the energy, climb up to the canyon rim. Here’s what Alison and I found on a visit in the fall of 2109. Tent Rocks Entrance. To get to Tent Rocks you need to take county road 16 off the 1-25 if you are coming from Santa Fe or county road 22 if coming from Albuquerque.

Colored Cliffs and Tent Rocks at Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument

After a dreary and rainy day, the sun rose behind the hills signaling a warmer day at Pueblo de Cochiti. In the mid-morning, when the temperature rose to about 50ºF, we headed to the nearby Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument for a hike. We were here in April of this year and was captivated by its fairy tale landscape. We came back to revisit it like old friends. The sun cast lights to the multi-colored cliffs behind the drifting clouds from time to time, changing the hues and shades of the cliffs. The fast moving fluffy clouds above the cliffs made this picturesque landscape more dramatic. A small garner snake and a tarantula crossed the trail. What a beautiful day for a hike!

The park’s most distinctive feature? The tent-shaped rocks that gave the park its name, as seen in the photo above. The park has two primary trails: Slot Canyon Trail and Cave Loop Trail. The latter of the two is handicap accessible, making this park a wonderful family destination for travelers of all hiking abilities.

Volcanic eruptions from Jemez spewed rock fragments and ash over here 6 to 7 million years ago. Layers upon layers of volcanic debris deposited here and were fused to rocks. Erosion from water, ice, and wind carved this unique landscape. The Slot Canyon Trail is a one mile trail to the summit. There were several tall ponderosa pine trees in the canyon. An old ponderosa pine has an exposed root system about 6 feet above the ground. At some section, the Slot Canyon is so narrow that only one person can walk through. As I walked through the Slot Canyon, a narrow sunbeam lit up the channel among the towering canyon walls, and a small patch of the sky could be seen above the canyon. Water carried debris down the canyon and carved the walls with grooves and concaves.

Ducked down and went through a wide hole in the canyon, we came out of the narrow section of the canyon. Up on the hillside stood an army of cone shaped tent rocks. Lines, grooves, and holes present on this group of tent rocks. Some of the tent rocks have cap rocks that resist to erosion and protect the rock below. The trail zigzags up the canyon. A couple of cone shaped tent rocks stood right by the trail. Further up, a hoodoo sits on top of a layer cake shaped rock formation. Sometimes the trail narrows to one foot wide.

Slot Canyon Trail Tent Rocks National Park

Climbing up the hill, we observed the giant tent rocks at eye level within short distance. The whimsical shapes of the tent rocks are unique. As we climbed higher, the group of tent rocks in the canyon looked like castles. Cream, tan, and copper colored wavy bands decorate the cliffs. The most difficult part of the trail is a drop about 3 feet tall. Only one person could cross that drop at a time. After that, the trail is on the hillside. Just a short hike up the hill is the summit. The wonderful vista is the reward after walking across the ridge to the tip of the mesa. Looking down there lies the Cave Loop Trail below. Looking to the side are the multi-colored cliffs surrounding the trail. In the distance are Cochiti Lake, Jamaz, and Sandia mountains. On the horizon looms the Sangre De Cristo above Santa Fe.

Sunshine on the Tent Rocks in Slot Canyon

Walking back and getting close to the edge of the cliff, guided by the sunlight, my eyes traced the rock formations highlighted by the moving sunbeams. I was mesmerized by this place again. It is a geological treasure indeed.

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

Slot Canyon Trail Tent Rocks Az

• 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.

Visit the official site for Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks.