Current Operations at El Malpais
To promote our staff and visitors’ safety, masks are required in all NPS buildings, regardless of location or vaccination status. Additionally, masks must be worn in outdoors spaces where physical distancing cannot be maintained, such as narrow or busy trails and overlooks.
Last updated November 20, 2021. Information will be updated when conditions change.
Open:
- All surface hiking trails and overlook areas are open, including Sandstone Bluffs Overlook, Lava Falls, and El Calderon. Trails and parking areas outside of the visitor center complex are open 24 hours a day with the exception of Sandstone Bluffs Overlook which is open from sunrise to sunset.
- The El Malpais Visitor Center is currently under winter operating hours. The visitor center complex, including the parking area and trail, is open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Thursday through Monday. The visitor center is closed on Tuesday and Wednesday through March 31, 2022.
Closed:
- All park lava tube caves - including Junction, Xenolith, Big Skylight, Giant Ice, and Four Windows Caves - are closed until further notice.
- The park is in the process of updating its cave permitting procedure to ensure visitor safety and resource protection. Caves are also closed during winter months due to bat hibernation. No timeline is yet in place for cave reopening.
- This closure does not affect the Ice Cave, which is a privately owned business. Contact Ice Caves and Bandera Volcano for more information on visiting Ice Cave.
- The El Malpais Visitor Center is currently closed on Tuesday and Wednesday through March 31, 2022. The visitor center is also closed on Thanksgiving Day, December 25th, and January 1st. The rest of the park outside of the visitor center complex is open 7 days a week.
