DHM Design The El Calderon Trail improvement project is set to begin August 11, 2025 and continue through late May 2026. The El Calderon parking lot and trail will be closed for the duration of the construction project.During the construction closure, NPS Road 100 will remain open to local traffic to allow access to private property. The Continental Divide Trail (CDT) will remain open to CDT thru-hikers. Hikers should stay on the CDT as they pass through and be cautious of construction equipment.El Malpais' outstanding lava tube features are one of the park's highlights, however, viewing the lava tubes at Big Tubes requires driving down a dirt road and hiking several miles over rough, uneven lava rock. Many park visitors are unable to visit Big Tubes due to time, ability, or other constraints. The popular El Calderon Trail is easier for visitors to reach and passes by several lava tube cave and collapse features. The El Calderon trail improvement project will resurface and widen the first 0.75 miles of the El Calderon Trail from the parking lot to the Bat Cave, creating the only Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) accessible trail within El Malpais National Monument. The project will include the installation of an ABA accessible ramp that descends into the lava tube trench adjacent to the El Calderon parking area. The ramp will extend into Junction Bridge Cave and end with a viewing platform, allowing visitors of all ages and abilities to experience firsthand what it is like inside a lava tube cave. School groups will be able to easily and safely visit a lava tube as they learn about the park's geology. Along with the trail resurfacing, the project will include safety railings at Double Sinks and bench seating next to the Bat Cave. The seating will provide a more comfortable place for visitors to sit as they wait to watch the Mexican free-tailed bats emerge from the Bat Cave during the summer. The trail will be safer for visitors to navigate in the dark following bat outflight and astronomy programs. The final Bat Outflight Guided Hikes of the 2025 summer season will take place August 8 & 9 at 7:00 pm. There will be no access to bat viewing after August 11. During the El Calderon closure, the Zuni-Acoma Trail, 4 miles east of El Calderon on Highway 53, will remain open sunrise to sunset for hiking and restroom use. While El Calderon is closed, you can explore El Malpais' other hiking trails, visit El Morro National Monument, or check out the sites along Highway 117. For questions about the El Calderon closure, email us or call the visitor center at 505-876-2783. 
DHM Design |
Last updated: August 5, 2025