Kokopelli's Cave Bed & Breakfast

Depending on your physical condition and age, access is not necessarily easy. You have to want to get to Kokopelli's Cave. From west 30th Street in Farmington, New Mexico, turn north onto the new Pinon Hills bypass. Go one and four tenths (1.4) of a mile and turn left onto county road 1980 (dirt). This is the "glade" road. Continue north for three tenths (.35) of a mile. As you round a curve turn left off of the "glade" road and pass through an iron gate. Proceed two tenths (.2) of a mile up the small hill to the first fork in the road at the San Juan Archers archery range. Turn right at this fork. Continue on two tenths (.25) of a mile up this road passing under a power line and continue to a road junction. On the other side of the road junction will be a gas well location. Cross the road and go straight for only 50 feet. Here there will be several small dirt roads meandering off to the left (west). Take the middle one. Drive slowly from here on because the roads are rough! Follow this small dirt trail one tenth (.1) of a mile to a cable fence. Drive west on the south side of this fence as far as you feel comfortable. If you are in a conventional car, you will need to park and lock your car here in what we call the upper parking area.

(If you are in a four wheel drive, you can turn southwest following the trails until you see the gate that lets you through the cable fence. Proceed through the gate and down to the lower level parking area until you are near the vertical steel pipe. Park your 4 wheel anywhere around here. The main trail to the cave is just a few steps to the north.)

From the upper parking area you need to step over the cable fence to the north side and walk northwest out onto the point of sandstone rocks. From here you will see a marked trail leading you past a power pole and down to the lower parking area. Follow the foot path and walk down hill carefully.

The jump off for the main trail to the cave starts at the north end of the lower parking area just north of the vertical steel pipe. There is only one trail. As you can see, there are hand rails at several locations along the trail. The trail descends approximately 70 vertical feet down to the cave entrance. This is the equivalent of an seven story building.

If you are starting from the upper parking area, add another 30' or three more stones. In your ascent or descent from the lower parking area you will climb or go down approximately 75 steps cut into the sandstone and will cover an additional 110 steps on the inclined surface of the path between the steps. There are an additional three steps on the final ladder at the entrance to the cave. (Add an additional 35 to 115 steps on the access paths to the parking areas depending on what parking area you are in.)

As we said, you really have to want to come to Kokopelli's cave! Remember to take your time, it's just as long but harder coming out. If you are coming with luggage for an overnight, you can see it's an advantage to pack light because there are no elevators.

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