Overview ***Ponderosa Group Campground will tentatively be closed starting October 8, 2025 while the park works to complete a major water line replacement/improvement project. The closure is anticipated to the entire month of October*** Ponderosa Group Campground is located 6 miles (9.7 km) from the park's main entrance and is an ideal place to stay for large groups visiting Bandelier National Monument. The campground is adjacent to Ponderosa Trailhead providing access to more than 70 miles (113 km) of hiking trails and is just a short drive from the Visitor Center, the Frijoles Canyon Shuttle System (mid-May to mid-October), and the town of Los Alamos, Valles Caldera National Preserve, Manhattan Project National Historic Site, and the Santa Fe National Forest. Ponderosa Group Campground is open year-round (water is only available from mid-May to mid-October, subject to delays and/or early shut off). Same-day reservations are not permitted. Frijoles Canyon and the park Visitor Center are accessible only by shuttle bus from mid-May to mid-October.
Source: rec_gov · last verified 2026-05-14