EL MALPAIS NATIONAL MONUMENT

near Grants, N.M.
NPS Website; Local Website

WHAT IS IT?
El Malpais (the badlands) is a jagged rocky maze of black lava flow that contains lava tube cave systems, sharp volcanic spatter cones and one of New Mexico’s largest natural arches, La Ventana (the window).

BEAUTY (4/10)
As we discovered at Idaho’s Craters of the Moon NM and Arizona’s Sunset Crater Volcano NM, lava flows are not our idea of beauty. In fact, we do not care for this type of geology not one bit. The Sandstone Bluff overlook allows viewings into the sometimes serrated, sometimes wavy madness. It looks like a field of giant buffalo chips. Maybe the eye-level view is better or maybe the lava tube caves enjoy their own unique beauty.

HISTORICAL INTEREST (3/10)
Lava flows 2,000 to 3,000 years ago created the challenging landscape of El Malpais. We are not the only ones hesitant to enter the forbidding land – Ancestral Puebloans may have established some small communities along the fringes of the lava flow. Depression-era homesteaders and sheepherders attempted to make homes near here; none lasted very long.

Modern hiking trails follow the routes of ancient paths leading from east to west across the flows. People were interested in getting through and around this terrain, not spending any significant amount of time in it.

Most of what is known about El Malpais NM and National Conservation Area comes from satellite imagery. That tells you how hospitable it is.

CROWDS (5/10)
I do not think we saw anybody else anywhere.

EASE OF USE/ACCESS (2/5)
El Malpais has no scenic drive and no paved roads that lead into its borders but it does have three Visitor Centers. One run by the NPS, one run by the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) and one run by the NPS, BLM and the U.S. Forest Service called the Northwest New Mexico Visitor Center. A high clearance vehicle allows for access to a few more areas of the Park.

The NPS VC and access to the Park’s northern section is 23 miles south of Interstate 40, Exit 81 along New Mexico Route 53. The BLM VC and access to the Park’s east section is 9 miles south of I-40, Exit 89 along New Mexico Route 117. The Northwest New Mexico VC is just off I-40, Exit 85 on the outskirts of Grants, N.M.

Here are some access-related quotes from the Park brochure: “Sharp, jagged lavas that rip up all but the sturdiest hiking boots are a’a, pronounced Ah-ah.” Aaaaaahhhhh! Regarding the Site’s most popular trail, the Zuni-Acoma Trail: “The ancient Anasazi route crosses four of the area’s major lava flows. The hike is a strenuous 7.5 miles one way (15 miles round trip) over rugged lava terrain.” Maybe next time, when we are tougher and have a set of boots to spare.

A terrific NPS Ranger suggested that we could hike into the Big Tubes Cave System. She had already lost us when she said we needed a 4x4 to get to the trailhead, but when she brought up three light sources, sturdy working gloves, cave helmets and loosely marked trails, we knew we would not be spending much time at El Malpais.

CONCESSIONS/BOOKSTORE (4/5)
Nothing to complain about the terrific book selection at all three VC’s. Colorful outlines of small flowers are the labels used to separate topics in the NPS bookstore. How darling and inappropriate in such a menacing place.

COSTS (4/5)
The Site is free.

RANGER/GUIDE TO TOURIST RATIO (5/5)
Everyone at El Malpais NM and its sister Parks was ridiculously helpful. We wish that we could have said the same thing about the weather. We had great talks and got tons of information from Rangers posted in all three Visitor Centers. They had huge books showing the wonder of the Site’s interior and publications detailing the many trails and abnormal geology. We wanted to love their Park, we really did.

TOURS/CLASSES (4/10)
There are no Ranger-led tours into the Monument and no talks given out of season. But the Northwest New Mexico Visitor Center is worth an afternoon in itself.

The VC, jointly run by NPS, BLM and the Forest Service does an impressive job as a one-stop shop for your New Mexico traveling needs. In addition to supplying a wealth of handouts and pamphlets and space to use them, the VC offers over 30 films that they will show upon request.

Choices range from a 7-minute introduction to the National Forest Service and its mission (yawn) to much longer programs on Navajo weaving, the restoration of Route 66, and the grueling winter quadrathon in Grants, NM. If you missed any of the films from other New Mexico NPS sites, you can watch them here.

We spent a good amount of time poring over a large area map with an NPS Ranger discussing everything from uranium mining and the history of Grants to how in the heck we are ever going to get to Rainbow Bridge NM (not gonna happen). This was a very helpful stop, but it is not specific to El Malpais.

The BLM Visitor Center had an impressive display of pottery and items found within the El Malpais wilderness including a giant jawbone from a Tyrannosaurus Rex! For some reason, the dental fixture is in a crate behind a closed door in the back room. Make sure you don’t miss it.

FUN (3/10)
Early April is not the time to visit this 7,000-foot high destination. Gale force winds and snow flurries dampened all our hiking hopes. We spent most of our time here indoors talking to the Site’s delightful Rangers.

WOULD WE RECOMMEND? (3/10)
We expected badlands formations (akin to Badlands NP in South Dakota) at a park named El Malpais. We were wrong. Instead, the Park is a foreboding maze of lava flows and hike-able lava caves. Hiking on razor sharp black rocks and/or spelunking is not our cup of tea but it may be yours. Just know what you are getting into before you travel to this isolated, hardcore exploration spot.

TOTAL 37/80

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