P.O. Box 638 • Bernalillo, NM 87004 • Phone: (505) 867-3311 • Fax: (505) 867-0481
CORONADO STATE MONUMENT
Coronado State Monument is located on Highway 44, just west of Bernalillo along the Rio Grande. It is named for Francisco Vasquez de Coronado who is thought to have camped near this site with his soldiers in 1540 while searching for the fabled Cities of Gold. The pueblo of Kuaua was occupied from 1300 AD and abandoned near the end of the 16th Century.
Coronado Campground is conveniently located on Highway 44, just west of Bernalillo along the Rio Grande. A visit to Coronado Campground offers more than a place to set up camp or enjoy a picnic. Relax to an unobstructed view of the beautiful Sandia mountains to the east. Experience the quiet mystique of the Rio Grande as it flows gently through the valley below. Enjoy New Mexico's spectacular sunrises, and witness the Sandis reflecting light from the setting sun. Tour the adjacent Coronado State Monument with its Indian artifacts and partially restored adobe patio ruins. All this and more awaits those who stop at Coronado Campground, located only 15 miles north of Albuquerque.
Today you can visit this historical site and learn about the history of the Kuaua pueblo people. An interpretive trail (1/5 of a mile) winds through the site leading to a reconstructed kiva (ceremonial chamber) that was excavated at the site in the 1930s. Coronado State Monument includes the partially reconstructed ruins of the ancient Pueblo of Kuaua, a Tiwa word for "evergreen".Many decorated layers were revealed and are considered the finest example of pre-contact mural art in North America. Inside this kiva you will find mural reproductions of Pueblo life depicting animal figures and human images. The Kuaua Mural Hall houses 15 panels of the original murals excavated out of one of the rectangle kivas.
Native American and Spanish Colonial artifacts are on display in the John Gaw Meem designed visitor center. The Children's wing displays the history of central New Mexico. Activities include trying on conquistador armor, grinding corn on a slab metate and two-handed mano. A video presents the history of the two cultures past and present lifestyles.
Enjoy a spectacular view, bring a lunch and walk our interpretive trails or sit by a ramada (shelter) overlooking the Sandia Mountains and the Rio Grande.
Admissions
Admission Fee: $3.00A combination ticket, good for admission to both Jémez and Coronado State Monuments is $5.00.
Sunday admission for New Mexico residents with ID is $1.
Wednesday admission is free to New Mexico Seniors with ID.
Children 16 and under are always admitted free.
Hours of Operation
Wednesday through Monday, 8:30am - 4:30pm. Closed Tuesdays.
Contact
485 Kuaua RoadBernalillo, NM 87004
Phone: (505) 867-5351
E-mail: kuaua@lobo.net
For overnight camping information at Coronado Campground, call (505) 980-8256.