• 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 »

Accessibility

El Malpais features extremely rugged lava terrain.

A hiker treks through rough lava country.

NPS Photo

Fully Accessible Facilities

The Northwest New Mexico Visitor Center has universal design features: accessible parking spaces, ramped sidewalks and walkways, accessible picnic tables, automatic doors, and accessible restrooms. The theater features captioning for videos and assistive listening equipment.

The El Malpais Information Center features accessible parking, paved walkway, and accessible restrooms.

The BLM Ranger Station features accessible parking, paved walkways, and accessible restrooms.

Activities

Scenic driving will take visitors to good views of many features in the park. The parking areas at Lava Falls on Highway 117 and the Zuni-Acoma Trail on Highway 53 are accessible. Other trailheads have gravel or dirt parking areas and are accessible with assistance. Trails in the area are not accessible due to the extremely rugged nature of the terrain.

Did You Know?

Rough aa lava can be found near Cerro Rendija

Two distinct kinds of lava can be found in the varied flows of El Malpais. Lava is known by names from the Hawaiian Islands. Aa lava is clumpy and forms numerous irregular chunks, while pahoehoe lava cools to form smooth surfaces often covered with ropy textures. More...