El Malpais National Monument
Rate this placeLast Updated: December 13, 2025
El Malpais National Monument is located in western New Mexico and offers visitors a unique opportunity to explore an ancient volcanic landscape.
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Summary
The park is home to a variety of natural features, including lava flows, cinder cones, and caves.
There are several reasons to visit El Malpais National Monument. One of the main draws is the opportunity to explore the park's lava tubes, which are underground caves formed by lava flows. Visitors can also hike along the park's many trails, which offer stunning views of the surrounding landscape.
Some of the most interesting points of interest in the park include the Continental Divide Trail, which passes through the park, and the La Ventana Natural Arch, which is one of the largest natural arches in the state.
One of the most interesting facts about El Malpais National Monument is that the park's lava flows are some of the youngest in the continental United States, having formed as recently as 3,000 years ago. The park is also home to a variety of wildlife, including elk, deer, and coyotes.
The best time of year to visit El Malpais National Monument is during the spring and fall, when temperatures are mild and there is less chance of rain. However, the park is open year-round and visitors can enjoy a variety of activities during the summer and winter months as well.
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Park & Land Designation Reference
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.
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