Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument 2018

The Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument in north-central New Mexico is well known for its cone-shaped tent rock formations. These formations are the product of a volcanic eruption that occurred 6-7 million years ago. The monument provides opportunities for hiking, birdwatching, geological observation, and plant identification. The monument sees over 130,000 visitors annually on its less than three miles of trail. This visitation has dramatically increased over the last 5 years. The high usage on a small area has created numerous impacts including visitors traveling off trail, trail erosion, litter, human waste, and visitors climbing on and damaging the unique rock formations.

Solution

• 817 People Educated
• 90 Gallons of Invasive Weeds Removed
• 28 Volunteer Hours

As a part of their time on-site, the Leave No Trace team worked to educate visitors at a popular trailhead during the Labor Day holiday weekend. They provided a significant number of visitors with Leave No Trace tips specific to protecting the natural and cultural resources at Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks. The team was also able to meet with two incredibly valuable stakeholders, the Cochiti Governor and the New Mexico Department of Tourism. The team went over their recommendations with the Cochiti Governor and the BLM who manages the monument. Both sides seemed willing to work together to solve the visitation concerns at the monument. The meeting with New Mexico Department of Tourism was also beneficial in helping them become more aware of the significant impacts at the monument and to discuss changing the dialogue around the monument at the New Mexico visitor Centers.