Tent Rocks National Monument will reopen, BLM and Cochiti Pueblo say

SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) – After being closed for more than four years, one of the most popular hiking destinations in New Mexico is reopening. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Cochiti Pueblo announced that the Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument will reopen this month.

The monument was temporarily closed in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Once the pandemic restrictions lifted, BLM and Cochiti Pueblo jointly agreed to keep the area closed "in order to renegotiate the operations of the Monument," according to the news release sent on Thursday.

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BLM said it also reached an agreement to allow Cochiti Pueblo to take on day-to-day operations of the monument. "This unique management relationship with Cochiti Pueblo is an asset to the Monument," BLM Albuquerque District Manager Sabrina Flores said in the news release. "Pueblo members know this Monument well, and we will continue to work closely with the Pueblo on management decisions that will best serve the land, the visitors to the Monument, and the Pueblo."

Reservations now required

One of the biggest changes visitors will experience is having to make a reservation to enter. Starting Nov. 12 at 8 a.m. MT, people will be able to make an online reservation for the monument, which is set to officially welcome visitors on Nov. 21. The monument will be open Thursday through Monday, except for holidays through Dec.14, 2024.

Additional reservations will be available after the monument reopens from its seasonal closure on Jan 31, 2025.

"Today is a new beginning as we come together with the Bureau of Land Management to take on the day-to-day operations of the Monument. The Pueblo now has a greater voice in how we want our sacred lands and community to be treated and respected by our visitors to the Monument. This will help us preserve our traditions and culture for generations to come," Cochiti Pueblo Gov. Joel Arquero said in the news release.

The reservation system seems to have been implemented to combat "over visitation," which the park experienced before it closed in 2020.

In a 2023 investigation by KRQE's Gabrielle Burkhart , KRQE learned from a pre-2020 data report that "Current visitation is nearly three times the original planned capacity," which was designed to hold about 50,000 visitors annually.

Data also showed the monument saw more than 100,000 visits a year in 2017-2019. During Spring Break 2018, KRQE News 13 reported on the massive line of cars waiting to enter Tent Rocks National Monument. Visitors were waiting 90 minutes just to park their vehicles.

BLM said over-visitation impacted not only the natural resources within the monument but also the gateway community of Cochiti Pueblo.

Fees and access passes

BLM Ticket Reservations passes are $5 per person for visitors over age 16. Those under the age of 16 are free but still require a reservation. The America the Beautiful Pass is accepted and waives the BLM Ticket Reservation for the passholder and three additional visitors.

Visitors must also pay a Cochiti Pueblo Tribal Access Pass directly to the Pueblo prior to entering the monument. The cost per visitor is $20/person over age 16; $10/person 2-16 years old; and free for visitors under 2 years old. A direct link to Cochiti Pueblo Tribal Access Pass will be provided during the reservation process. The America the Beautiful Pass cannot be used to waive the fees for a Cochiti Pueblo Tribal Access Pass.

Additional details regarding fees, closures, and other visitation information are available here .