News Release

Alcove House Temporarily Closed Starting March 31, 2025

Date: March 27, 2025
Contact: Zachary Whitlow, [phone]

Los Alamos, N.M. – Bandelier National Monument’s Alcove House will be temporarily closed starting on Monday, March 31, 2025. The park is beginning flood debris removal in that area, and work is expected to last up to five weeks.

Portions of the Cottonwood Overflow Parking Lot will also be closed during this time. It is recommended that visitors arrive to Bandelier before 9 am or after 3 pm 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 5th, 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.