• 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 »

Braided Cave Gallery


Did You Know?

Cerro Rendija is a shield volcano

Cerro Rendija volcano, just west of Big Tubes in El Malpais National Monument, is a good example of a shield volcano. Low viscosity lava spread out rapidly from the vent and kept the volcano from gaining much vertical height. More...