Tent Rocks Slot Canyon and Cave Loop in Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, NM

Hike Tent Rocks Slot Canyon and Cave Loop Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, NM

Class 1 3.2 miles 900 gain 2-4 hrs Out + Back Nov 6, 2017
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Tent Rocks Slot Canyon and Cave Loop GPX Track

I need to offset my substantial website costs somehow! You can download a hike/drive GPX to assist you here. Before sharing my GPX tracks with others, please remember my site is otherwise a free resource.

Try to get here early, since this trail is super popular. A gorgeous canyon narrows to a slot, hoodoos shaped like tents along the canyon rim on either side. The trail leads up to the head of the canyon and then up and out of the canyon to an overlook that allows you to see the whole Tent Rocks canyon. On the way back, I took the Cave Loop trail. This isn't actually a cave. It's a side trail that leads to a "cavate" (cave-eight), a human-carved cave in the sandstone.

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I'm not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!

The trail heads through open desert for a short time.
The trail heads through open desert for a short time.
Image 1 from gallery
Entrance to the canyon.
Entrance to the canyon.
Some small hoodoos with nice lighting.
Some small hoodoos with nice lighting.
Image 4 from gallery
Image 5 from gallery
Some narrows right at the entrance.
Some narrows right at the entrance.
Image 7 from gallery
Image 8 from gallery
Image 9 from gallery
Image 10 from gallery
Image 11 from gallery
Entering the true slot section.
Entering the true slot section.
Image 13 from gallery
Image 14 from gallery
Image 15 from gallery
Image 16 from gallery
Leaving the most narrow section following the canyon to the head.
Leaving the most narrow section following the canyon to the head.
Great tent hoodoos ahead.
Great tent hoodoos ahead.
Image 19 from gallery
Image 20 from gallery
Small narrow section at the base of the prettiest tent hoodoos, just before ascending to the canyon head.
Small narrow section at the base of the prettiest tent hoodoos, just before ascending to the canyon head.
A trail leads from the canyon out up to the rim.
A trail leads from the canyon out up to the rim.
Image 23 from gallery
Looking down on the prettiest hoodoos from the trail, almost at the the rim.
Looking down on the prettiest hoodoos from the trail, almost at the the rim.
Image 25 from gallery
On the rim, looking into the canyon I walked through.
On the rim, looking into the canyon I walked through.
The trail continues along the rim to a high point.
The trail continues along the rim to a high point.
From the high point, the trail keeps going to get the best view.
From the high point, the trail keeps going to get the best view.
Looking into the canyon.
Looking into the canyon.
Image 30 from gallery
After the slot canyon, this is the start of the Cave Loop Trail.
After the slot canyon, this is the start of the Cave Loop Trail.
You can see the cave on the right.
You can see the cave on the right.
Cave (center right).
Cave (center right).
Looking back into the basin (cave is on the left somewhere, slot canyon on the right somewhere).
Looking back into the basin (cave is on the left somewhere, slot canyon on the right somewhere).
Approaching the trailhead.
Approaching the trailhead.

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!