Nature


Lava tubes offer a stark contrast in how life thrives above and below ground. Image Copyright: Lanny Wagner From cinder cones to lava tubes, shortgrass prairies to ponderosa forests, El Malpais National Monument displays a wide variety of features and forms of life. Explore and discover what plant and animal communities call the area home!	Plants Despite high elevation and low precipitation, plant communities thrive. Animals Countless mammals, reptiles, and other surprising animals call El Malpais home. Natural Features & Ecosystems The volcanic legacy shaped the landscapes and features we see today.