Lava Falls Trail Stop #4

Lava Falls may be a bit smaller than you expect, but still a rare sight in the park.

Quick Facts

Location:

34° 44’ 17.8”; -107° 58’ 41.1”

Significance:

Stop 4 of 9

Lava Fall

Most lava is liquid during a Hawaiian-style volcanic eruption. Since liquid follows the path of least resistance--which is typically downhill--you are standing slightly downhill from McCartys Crater.   

Like any liquid, melted lava rock flows in different ways.  Lava’s temperature, speed, the volume of lava flowing, and the shape of the surrounding landscape all impact how flowing lava moves.  In the case of Lava Falls, a small “fall” of lava was created as one lava flow slowly dripped over the edge of a previous flow. 

Unlike water, lava can flow over itself if previous lava flows have cooled.  The hot lava may or may not melt the cooled rock beneath it, and this unpredictability creates countless lava features.  Where else besides this lava fall can you see where lava flowed over, under, and around other flows?