Frey Trail

The Low Down

The Frey Trail is one of the myriad trails at Bandelier National Monument in New Mexico, USA, that entice the hiker to get off the "tourist trail" and see what the monument is all about. Depending on your preferences and resources, it can be a leisurely downhill walk with great views; a short but gut-busting uphill grunt to get your cardiovascular system pumping; or both.

Tyuonyi Ruin

Getting There

Enter Bandelier National Monument via New Mexico State Road 4. On passing through the entry station (fee $6/person or $12/vehicle, a National Park Service "Park Pass" affords unlimited entry for the 1-year duration of the $50 pass), do not continue on the main road toward the visitor center unless you're able to run a car shuttle (see below under "Helpful Hints"). Rather, take the immediate right that leads to Juniper Campground. The trailhead is at the parking lot by the "amphitheater" where interpretive programs are given for campers; park there.

Route Finding

There are no route finding problems on this trail; simply point 'em downhill on a path that is well maintained and easy to follow. After about a mile you come to the rim of Frijoles Canyon, with terrific views to follow. The trail then switchbacks down the steep canyon wall and connects with the Main Loop Trail through the archaeological sites in Frijoles Canyon. Depending on your druthers and capabilities, either return the way you came (ouch!), turn left to the main ruins, or turn right to extend your day a bit, subsequently either returning to the visitor center on the trail in the canyon bottom or continuing to Alcove House (see Main Loop Trail article) and then back to the visitor center.

Trail Resources

The mountains you see at the trailhead are of two distinct ranges with their own personalities. Nearby to the west are the Jemez Mountains above Los Alamos, a huge volcanic structure that erupted catastrophically about 1.1 million years ago to form the Pajarito Plateau that you're atop on this trail. To the east, across the Española Valley, are the higher Sangre de Cristo Mountains, southernmost range of the Rockies. Both contain myriad hiking opportunities of their own.

Helpful Hints

This is a great hike for a "car shuttle." If you have two vehicles, drop one off at the visitor center, then return to the upper trailhead for your hike down. You can then continue on the Main Loop Trail to the visitor center and pick up your vehicle to get back to Juniper Campground the hedonistic way, rather than facing the grunt back up Frey.

This is an acceptable four-season hike, but if you're doing it in mid- to late summer, you'll want to take some steps to avoid lightning hazard from thunderstorms that build over the Jemez in early afternoon. Either start very early; reverse the route so that you start at the bottom (i.e., by way of the visitor center and Main Loop Trail) rather than the top, so that you're off the heights earlier; or use the car-shuttle approach.

Activities Allowed

Day hiking only; no bikes, motorized vehicles, horses. Camping is at the Juniper Campground where you start.

External Links

No Bandelier hiker should be without the excellent trail guide, "A Guide to Bandelier National Monument," by Dorothy Hoard; ISBN 0-941232-04-2. This little book is currently being revised, and there may be a more recent edition by the time you visit. It's usually on sale at the book store in the visitor center.