Bandelier National Monument to partly reopen Friday
May 24—Parts of Bandelier National Monument will reopen Friday in response to crews moving closer to containing the Cerro Pelado Fire, which has been burning for a month in the Jemez Mountains.
The fire was reported as 85 percent contained Monday, thanks in part to favorable weekend weather conditions that enabled crews to gain greater control of the blaze, which has burned almost 46,000 acres.
"As the fire containment continues to increase and fire defense measures are being removed, we can safely welcome back the public," Bandelier Superintendent Patrick Suddath said in a statement.
The park has been shut down since April 30.
Hiking routes that will reopen range from 1.4 miles to 4 miles.
They are:
* Pueblo Loop Trail — the main trail behind the park visitor center.
* Falls Trail to Upper Falls.
* Frey Trail.
* Tyuonyi Overlook Trail.
* Tsankawi Trail.
All campgrounds, wilderness and backcountry areas as well as the Alcove House and its adjoining trail will remain closed.
The Alcove House has been closed since late March after a falling rock struck and killed a visitor while she was climbing the ladders to the cavern.
Officials expect the park's partial reopening will be welcome news to hikers, with the Santa Fe and Carson national forests put off-limits to the public while crews battle the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire, which had burned more than 311,000 acres as of Monday and was 40 percent contained.
Extreme fire danger is expected to persist until Northern New Mexico receives significant moisture and drought conditions improve.
Dave Gold, an organizer of the Santa Fe Hiking Group, said he's glad to see the federal government opening up even the shorter routes at Bandelier to give people a place to enjoy the outdoors.
But Gold, an avid hiker, said he also agrees with the decision to close forested areas that are highly flammable because of dry conditions, warm temperatures and the unusually late-blowing spring winds.
The closures are especially prudent with the upcoming Memorial Day weekend likely to attract people to scenic areas who normally don't venture into such places, Gold said.
Many of the newbies defy the rules, he said, recalling a recent Memorial Day weekend when forest rangers found 100 spots where campfires had been lit despite restrictions forbidding them.
"I definitely don't blame the Forest Service for wanting to shut things down until there's more water on the ground," Gold said. "It's like a box of matches up there."
At Bandelier, fire restrictions will remain in place, barring outdoor burning, the use of campfires or charcoal grills (gas grills may be used) and smoking, except for inside vehicles.
Fort Union National Monument, Pecos National Historical Park and Valles Caldera National Preserve will remain closed until further notice.
Gold said the hikers he knows would rather lose access temporarily to the beautiful areas than see them destroyed in a mammoth wildfire. So much has been lost already, he added.
"Nobody likes being shut out, but the possibility of something going wrong when you let lots of people in is very high," he said.
