Tent Rocks Slot Canyon and Cave Loop

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, NM Southern Sangre de Cristo + Jemez Mountains

Trip stats

Distance
3.2 mi
Net Gain
900 ft
Time
2-4 hrs
YDS Rating
Class 1
Route
Out/Back

Ratings out of 10

Effort
1.4/10
Personality
5/10
Beauty
7/10
Solitude
1.1/10
What do these mean? →

Route map + Trailhead

Trailhead Coordinates

35.656605, -106.411201

The directions link below drops a pin on the trailhead coordinates and lets Google Maps pick the route. If the drive has rough roads or access issues that GPS nav might get wrong, I cover that in my trip report.

Get directions (opens Google Maps in a new tab)

Trip report

Nov 6, 2017 — 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.

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Photos

36 photos

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

Photo 1 of 1

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Hire or refer me as a web developer, or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I'm not sponsored, so it's funded by yours truly. It also takes a ton of work to edit photos and write these reports. I really appreciate it!

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