National Park Service · Bandelier National Monument · NM

Juniper Campground (NM)

View into Frijoles Canyon with archeological sitesPhoto · Sally King
Not publishedStatus
ReservableAccess
56Sites
50First-come
50 ftMax rig

The place

Juniper Family Campground is the ideal place to camp on the Pajarito Plateau. Located just inside the main park entrance, the campground is a short drive from the Bandelier Visitor Center, the Frijoles Canyon Shuttle bus system (mid-May to mid-October), and the adjacent towns of Los Alamos and White Rock. Juniper Family Campground is the perfect "home base" to explore the Pajarito Plateau, Jemez Mountains, and all of north central New Mexico! The campground is divided into 3 loops: Abert's Squirrel Loop (Loop A) campsites are available year-round as first-come, first serve only. Keep reading

Pay for first-come, first-serve campsites at the self-pay kiosk located at the Juniper Family Campground or in-person at the Bandelier Visitor Center during business hours. Black Bear Loop (Loop B) campsites are open year-round and are reservable up to 6 months in advance. Some sites may open on shorter booking windows (7 or 14 days in advance or the day of arrival). Coyote Loop (Loop C) campsites are open seasonally, March 1 – October 31, and are reservable up to 6 months in advance. Some sites may open on shorter booking windows (7 or 14 days in advance). You may also book campsite reservations in Loops B & C on the day of arrival (subject to availability). HOWEVER, cell service/data is not always reliable in the park and no public WiFi is available. The park highly recommends booking your reservation from the neighboring towns of Los Alamos and White Rock before heading to Bandelier. Group campsites (in Loop A) are available by reservation only up to 12 months in advance until the day before arrival (subject to availability). Same day reservations are not available for group campsites. Recreation Bandelier is home to over 70 miles (113 km) of hiking trails most of which are located within federally designated wilderness. Two trails are accessible directly from Juniper Family Campground. The Frey Trail follows the historic route into Frijoles Canyon and descends down the canyon wall to the Visitor Center and the Main Loop Trail. The Tyuonyi Overlook Trail leaves the amphitheater parking area for a 3/4-mile (1.2 km) hike across the open mesa top to an overlook providing breathtaking views of Frijoles Canyon and of Tyounyi, an ancestral Pueblo village. The Bandelier Visitor Center houses museum exhibits, park film, information and ranger programs, Western National Parks Association sales outlet, and more. Entrance to Frijoles Canyon and the Visitor Center is by shuttle bus only (or by hiking) from mid-May to mid-October. These areas are accesibile by private vehicle outside the shuttle bus period. Many other opportunities for recreation and exploring the history and culture of the area are nearby, such as Valles Caldera National Preserve, Manhattan Project National Historical Park, Los Alamos museums, the Jemez District of the Santa Fe National Forest, US Department of Energy public recreation trails, and others around Los Alamos County. Rock climbing is prohibited within Bandelier National Monument, however many popular climbs are within a short drive up Route 4 into the Jemez Mountains. Facilities Juniper Family Campground has 3 camping loops. There is an RV dump station on the road into the campground, however water at the dump station is completely turned off from mid-October to mid-April (campers will not be able to fill water tanks or dump). RV dump station has been turned off for season (11/10/25). During the summer months, interpretive programs may be offered during the day at the Visitor Center and in the evening at the campground amphitheater (check with the Visitor Center for program schedule). Each loop offers its own comfort station with restrooms and running water and centrally located water spigots with potable water. No hookups are available at any campsites. Shade is limited in most campsites. During the summer months a camp host is present in the campground. Individual Campsites Each individual campsite has a paved parking pull in or pull through parking spot. Driveways/pull through size vary by site, many can accommodate larger RVs/trailers. Picnic tables, fire rings with grills, and food lockers are provided at each campsite. There are three camping loops with individual campsites: Group Campsites Group campsites Each group campsite is for tent camping only and has ample space for multiple tents. Only one (1) RV or trailer is permitted per site. Each site can accommodate 10 to 20 campers. Group campsites have picnic tables, fire rings with grills and food lockers. Transportation The Frijoles Canyon Shuttle system (mid-May to mid-October) includes a stop at the Amphitheater parking area located in the Juniper Family Campground. You may ride the shuttle free of charge with service into Frijoles Canyon with a stop at the Visitor Center. Private vehicle traffic into Frijoles Canyon is prohibited while the shuttle is in service. Natural Features Bandelier National Monument protects over 33,000 acres (13355 ha

The sites · 56

LoopSiteTypeMax rigElectricADA
Abert's Squirrel10standard nonelectric20 ft
Abert's Squirrel11standard nonelectric20 ft
Abert's Squirrel12standard nonelectric30 ft
Abert's Squirrel13standard nonelectric20 ft
Abert's Squirrel14standard nonelectric20 ft
Abert's Squirrel15standard nonelectric20 ft
Abert's Squirrel16standard nonelectric20 ft
Abert's Squirrel17standard nonelectric26 ft
Abert's Squirrel2standard nonelectric20 ft
Abert's Squirrel3standard nonelectric20 ft
Abert's Squirrel4standard nonelectric20 ft
Abert's Squirrel6standard nonelectric33 ft
Abert's Squirrel7standard nonelectric25 ft
Abert's Squirrel8standard nonelectric20 ft
Abert's Squirrel9standard nonelectric40 ft
Abert's Squirrel Loop1 (Group Site)group standard nonelectric20 ft
Abert's Squirrel Loop5 (Group Site)group standard nonelectric35 ft
Black Bear18standard nonelectric18 ft
Black Bear19standard nonelectric26 ft
Black Bear20standard nonelectric24 ft
Black Bear21standard nonelectric23 ft
Black Bear22standard nonelectric18 ft
Black Bear23standard nonelectric24 ft
Black Bear25standard nonelectric24 ft
Black Bear26standard nonelectric18 ft
Black Bear27standard nonelectric24 ft
Black Bear28standard nonelectric24 ft
Black Bear29standard nonelectric24 ft
Black Bear30standard nonelectric20 ft
Black Bear31standard nonelectric26 ft
Black Bear32standard nonelectric20 ft
Black Bear33standard nonelectric20 ft
Black Bear34management12 ft
Black Bear35management12 ft
Black Bear36management15 ft
Black Bear37management12 ft
Black Bear38management12 ftyes
Coyote39standard nonelectric34 ft
Coyote40standard nonelectric30 ft
Coyote41standard nonelectric30 ft
Coyote42standard nonelectric26 ft
Coyote43standard nonelectric30 ft
Coyote44standard nonelectric28 ft
Coyote45standard nonelectric35 ftyes
Coyote46standard nonelectric18 ft
Coyote47standard nonelectric18 ft
Coyote48standard nonelectric24 ft
Coyote49standard nonelectric34 ft
Coyote50standard nonelectric32 ft
Coyote51standard nonelectric24 ft
Coyote52standard nonelectric40 ft
Coyote53management38 ft
Coyote54standard nonelectric30 ft
Coyote55standard nonelectric50 ft
Coyote56standard nonelectric20 ft
Coyote57standard nonelectric28 ft

Booking

183 daysBooking window before arrival

Recreation.gov default: most campsites can be booked six months prior to arrival date. Most campgrounds go on sale at 7am PT / 8am MT / 10am ET, but not always; check the facility Seasons and Fees tab. Some locations also offer shorter supplemental booking windows.

Book on recreation.gov

Fees

Camping Fees. Payment for reservations is due upon booking. You may pay for first-come, first-serve campsites (Abert's Squirrel Loop) at the self-pay kiosk in the campground or in-person at the Bandelier Visitor Center during business hours. Entrance fees. Bandelier National Monument charges an entrance fee separate from camping fees. The park's entrance station is staffed most days during business hours. If unstaffed, you may pay the fee upon arrival at the automated fee machine at the Bandelier entrance station, at the Bandelier Visitor Center during business hours or purchase in advance. The park also honors Federal interagency passes (e.g., annual, senior, access, 4th grade, Golden Age pass etc.). For more information visit the park's Fees & Passes web page. Entrance passes or Federal Interagency Passes must be displayed in all vehicles while in the park. Non-commercial group (scouts, church group, etc.) entrance fees, visit: Non-Commercial Groups at Bandelier Commercial group entrance fees, visit: Commercial Tours at Bandelier

Your representative

This campground sits in NM-03. This member’s public-lands record →

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