• Sweeping panoramic views of lava flows, cinder cones, and distant mountains can be enjoyed at Sandstone Bluffs.

    El Malpais

    National Monument New Mexico

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  • All caves in El Malpais National Monument are closed to recreational use.

    This closure is due to a combination of factors including the outbreak of a fungal disease that is killing millions of bats. Read more at our Nature and Science page. More »

Cinder Phacelia

Cinder-Phacelia-Hillside
A cinder slope covered with Cinder Phacelia.
NPS photo Dale Dombrowski
 
Cinder-Phacelia

NPS photo Dale Dombrowski

Cinder phacelia (Phacelia serrata) grows on exposed cinder slopes and is dependent on having volcanic cinders as a substrate. The plant is usually between 4-14 inches tall and grows at elevations from 5,200 to 8,000 feet. The upper leaves are attached directly to the base without a stalk, and in August through September it has a blue/violet flower. This plant is only found in two locations in the United States; El Malpais National Monument and Sunset Crater National Monument in Arizona.

Did You Know?

A Western Diamondback rattlesnake in the desert

The Western Diamondback rattlesnake is one of several species of rattlesnake that inhabit the high desert of El Malpais. Like all wildlife in the park, they are protected and should be given space and respect. More...