Named for Adolph Bandelier, a 19th-century anthropologist, this national monument is a bewitching combination of archeological, historic, and natural features. Established in 1916, Bandelier covers nearly 50 square miles of steep narrow canyons that flow from the 10,000 foot peaks of the Jemez Mountians to the Rio Grande River. Part of one of the world's largest volcanic calderas, it is home to wide variety of wildlife, including mountain lions, elk, black bear and the protected Jemez Mountain Salamander. These critters roam among the acres of pristine backcountry. But it is the spectacular 13th-century Anasazi ruins that distinguish Bandelier as a unique experience.