Painted Cave shows some unique and well-preserved Ancestral Puebloan Pictographs that are well worth the strenuous hike to get here. You can either start at the Dome Trailhead just outside Bandelier National Monument or at the monument's Visitor Center. Keep in mind, that the Dome Trailhead is not accessible from January through mid-April due to seasonal road closures. The hike starting at the Visitor Center is not recommended as a day hike. Prepare at least for an overnight stay in the backcountry.