Hi.
Welcome to my blog/travel guide. Take a look around, you never know what you might find!
Welcome to my blog/travel guide. Take a look around, you never know what you might find!
A vast volcanic expanse covering the western New Mexican countryside. Thousands of years ago, as recently as three thousand years ago, lava poured out of a number of cinder cones south of Grants, New Mexico. The lava cooled into rough black basalt that remains a scar on the area. Whether you enjoy a relaxing scenic drive, a hike amongst ancient lava flows and cinder cones, or dark adventures through lengthy lava tubes there is something for you at El Malpais.
Western New Mexico
1987
Free
100,000 annually
114,000 acres
This relatively easy to get to cave is a great introductory for inexperienced explorers. Not much effort is needed to traverse the cave hundreds of feet in before a narrow passage way, but for those not comfortable with a tight crawl this is a great place to turn around. The cave is consistently around 50 degrees inside so it is a nice escape form the summer heat. The cave is a lava tube, so don’t expect to see any speleothems like in typical caves. Bats live in the cave, but not nearly as many that live in Bat Cave next door, which is off limits to humans. Bring flashlights and head lamps if you plan on going any further than a few feet into the cave. Sturdy shoes are a must, since you will be climbing on and over jagged boulders. A cave permit is required before entering. Permits are free and available at both the El Malpais and El Morro visitor’s center. They are necessary for informing people of the dangers of entering remote caves and the white nose fungus that threatens bat populations around the U.S. An easy 0.7mile trail takes you past a few collapsed lava tubes before you arrive at the mouth Xenolith. The parking areas is close to NM-53 (between mile markers 65-66). Follow signs for El Calderon Area.
For a less strenuous experience, take the scenic drive down NM-117 (Exit 89 on I-40). Heading south, the road runs along the ancient river of black lava. 11.5 miles south of the interstate is Sandstone Bluffs overlook, that gazes out over the vast lava field that gives this national monument its name (Malpais = bad land). Roughly 10 miles further south is the La Ventana Arch trail, which is just a short walk to the arch. The sunlight illuminating the wall behind the arch gives it a magical backlit glow. If you’re looking for a reason to stretch your legs a bit, 12 miles south of the arch is the Lava Falls trail. This trail is only one mile long and hardly gains any elevation, but the jagged terrain intrinsic to a lava field is tough on ankles and those who don’t watch their step. This cairn-marked trail takes you through frozen undulating lava flows. The diversity of unusual patterns and shapes made by cooling lava is interesting and gives you an idea of what this area may have looked like thousands of years ago when the lava was still hot. There is no shade along this trail and the black basalt can get incredibly hot under the summer sun, so bring plenty of water and sunscreen if you come during the summer.
