El Malpais National Conservation Area | New Mexico
The El Malpais National Conservation Area (NCA) was established in 1987 to protect nationally significant geological, archaeological, ecological, cultural, scenic, scientific, and wilderness resources surrounding the Zuni-Bandera volcanic field. El Malpais translates to "the badlands" in Spanish.
The NCA includes dramatic sandstone cliffs, canyons, La Ventana Natural Arch, Chain of Craters Back Country Byway, Joe Skeen Campground, the Narrows Picnic Area, and the Cebolla and West Malpais Wilderness Areas. There are many opportunities for photography, hiking, camping, and wildlife viewing within this unique NCA.
For more than 10,000 years, people have interacted with the El Malpais landscape. Historic and prehistoric sites provide connections to the past. More than mere artifacts, these cultural resources are kept alive by the spiritual and physical presence of contemporary Native American groups, including the Ramah Navajo and Puebloan peoples of Acoma, Laguna, and Zuni. These tribes continue their ancestral uses of El Malpais, including gathering plant materials, paying respect, and renewing ties.
Visitors should be cautious during the monsoon season due to unpredictable weather and flash flooding. Any outing in El Malpais should include daypacks with water, sturdy hiking boots, snacks, rain gear, a first aid kit, and sunscreen. Exploring BLM lava tube caves requires being prepared with warm clothing, protective headgear, three sources of light, and leather gloves.
Volunteer camp host applications are accepted year-round. Please email [email protected] if interested.
Photos
El Malpais National Conservation Area Community Art Program
Artwork by Christian Bigwater displayed at the El Malpais Visitor Center as part of the community art program.
The Public Lands Interpretive Association and the Bureau of Land Management invited artists from El Malpais' surrounding areas to participate in a unique collaboration: to create a narrative connection between art and land stewardship, history, culture, and land conservation. Highlighting the stewardship, history, culture, and land conservation of El Malpais NCA and celebrating local artists in showcasing the area and its communities for generations to come. Through this project, we hope visitors to the area can enjoy art while gaining knowledge about the importance of resources of this unique area of the New Mexico Landscape.
Learn more about the artists featured through the El Malpais Community Art Program:
Join the Adventure at El Malpais NCA!
The El Malpais NCA Junior Ranger Guide explores the amazing history, culture, geology, and other natural resources found in El Malpais NCA. The guide has a variety of educational activities, including word games, logic puzzles, and coloring activities. Download the guide to print at home. You can also request to have a copy mailed to you by calling the Rio Puerco Field Office at 505-761-8700.
When the guide is completed, you can take the oath with an onsite Ranger at El Malpais NCA, become an official El Malpais Junior Ranger, and receive your badge! If you are unable to complete the guide on site, mail your completed booklet to the address below and we will send your patch to you! 100 Sun Ave NE, Suite 330, Albuquerque, NM 87109.
Accessibility Description (ABA/ADA)
The BLM Ranger Station, Joe Skeen Campground, and South Narrows Picnic Area all have benches and restrooms, and some areas have water.
El Malpais National Conservation Area has several Wilderness Areas with no developed facilities.
Wilderness Areas are considered for their unique wilderness characteristics, primitive recreation opportunities, solitude, and mostly undeveloped areas.
As a result, this area does not have any facilities or interpretive signage to make the area easier to navigate.
There are no established trails. Pathways are overwhelmingly uneven roads, paths, or cow trails. One needs to be able to walk, scramble, and/or cross flowing water while exposed to the elements.
Know Before You Go
Fees
- None
Facilities:
El Malpais Ranger Station
Open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
These hours may become more limited due to staff shortages.
Joe Skeen Campground
This campground is open year-round.
Each of the 10 free campsites (no reservation system/first come first served basis) has a covered picnic table, fire grill, and tent space. Some sites have pull-through parking, ideal for total lengths up to 50 feet.
There are two vault toilets.
The road is graveled and passable in most conditions, though visitors should wait for water in the arroyo to dissipate before attempting to cross.
There is a maximum of fifteen people and two vehicles per campsite.
Hole-in-the-Wall
This is a great hike for avid hikers and backpackers. Hole-in-the-Wall is a 6700-acre kīpuka that consists of ponderosa pine forests and open rangeland completely surrounded by lava.
Accessing Hole-in-the-Wall requires hiking several miles across open plains and lava flows. This is a designated Wilderness area and is not accessible by bicycle.
Please pack in plenty of water, as there are no reliable water sources in the area. Read more about Hole-in-the-Wall.
La Ventana Natural Arch Recreation Area
This trail lasts a quarter of a mile to the base of La Ventana, one of New Mexico’s largest natural arches. Restrooms are available at the trailhead.
The trail transitions from paved to primitive as you enter the Federally designated Cebolla Wilderness, surrounded by dramatic sandstone cliff formations, piñon and juniper trees, and a variety of shrubs and grasses. Please stay on the trail and help protect our fragile resources.
Overnight camping and rock climbing are strictly prohibited.
South Narrows Picnic Area: This day-use area is set just off of NM Highway 117 and tucked against the sandstone cliffs among piñon and juniper trees.
There are six covered picnic tables with fire grills available and two vault toilets.
Parking and use are allowed from sunrise to sunset. No overnight camping is permitted.
The Narrows Rim Trail is located near the entrance at the south end of the picnic area. The trail takes you to the top of a 500-foot sandstone mesa, where you will have scenic views of the lava beds and surrounding country along the way. At the end of the trail, you will have a great view of La Ventana Natural Arch. This trail is located in a designated Wilderness area and is not accessible by bicycle.
The hike is approximately 8 miles round trip. Read more about the Narrows Rim hike. Take a virtual tour of the Narrows Rim Trail and Picnic Area.
Dittert Site: The Dittert Site, a pueblo ruin, is at the mouth of Armijo Canyon. Read more about the Dittert Site.
This is a pleasant, sandy 4½ mile hike wind among piñon and juniper trees and will take you to a well-preserved Pueblo ruin and homestead.
This is a designated Wilderness Area and is not accessible by bicycle.
Continental Divide National Scenic Trail: The trailheads along CR 42 provide access to the 3100-miles-long National Scenic and Historic Continental Divide Trail that follows the continental divide all the way from Mexico to Canada. This section of the trail winds among the Chain of Craters and passes through piñon, juniper, ponderosa pine, and a variety of shrubs and grasses.
It is approximately 20 miles from CR 42 trailhead to CR 42 trailhead.
Pack in plenty of water, as there are no reliable sources of water in the area. Please keep an eye on the weather: County Road 42 is a dirt road and is impassable when wet.
Wilderness and Wilderness Study Areas: El Malpais National Conservation Area hosts a myriad of designated Wilderness Areas and Wilderness Study Areas, which allow visitors to experience primitive recreation, solitude, and breathtaking landscape. Find out more about wildernesses in El Malpais below:
National Parks Service El Malpais National Monument
For information on the Sandstone Bluffs Overlook, Acoma-Zuni Trail, the Lava Falls Area, Big Tubes Area, or general cave exploration, please visit the NPS website.
Nearby Amenities
The nearest location to acquire food, gas, and water is in Grants, ~27 miles away via NM-117 W and I-40 W.
Season/Hours
Open year-round.
Note that use may be restricted periodically due to fire dangers or other management needs.
Special Rules
Total stay in the NCA is limited to 14 days per month.
No livestock or horses are permitted in the campground.
Quiet hours are from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM.
Stay is limited to 7 days per month in the campground.
No fireworks or firearms can be discharged in the campground.
Hunting is prohibited within ½ mile of the campground and other developed recreation sites.
Collecting of firewood and any other natural or historic object is prohibited.
Check with local authorities for open fire regulations for each day.
Brochures, Maps, and Publications
Flickr Album
Contact Us
Activities
Addresses
Geographic Coordinates
Directions
El Malpais is located 80 miles west of Albuquerque and just south of Grants, NM. Two state highways provide access to the NCA from Interstate 40. Exit 89, east of Grants, will take you along NM Highway 117 and provide access to the BLM Ranger Station, several developed recreation sites, and Cebolla Wilderness. Exit 81, west of Grants, will take you along NM Highway 53, which provides access to Continental Divide Trail trailheads, West Malpais Wilderness, Hole-in-the-Wall trailhead, and El Calderon (National Park Service).
BLM Ranger Station
Located 9 miles south of I-40 Exit 89 on NM Highway 117. The above GPS coordinates correspond to the BLM Ranger Station. El Malpais National Monument Visitor Center (National Park Service): 1900 E Santa Fe Ave. Grants, New Mexico 87020 (505) 876-2783.
Continental Divide National Scenic Trail
Driving Directions: From NM Highway 53, drive southwest on NM 53 to CR 42. Turn south on CR 42 and drive approximately 5 miles until you reach the trailhead. Parking is available at the trailhead. The trail is marked with a rock cairn across the road from the parking area.
From NM Highway 117, drive south on Highway 117 until you reach CR 42. Drive approximately 9 miles on CR 42 to the trailhead. Parking is available at the trailhead, and the trail is marked with a rock cairn adjacent to the parking area.
Dittert Site
Drive south on NM Highway 117 for 22.6 miles until you reach County Road (CR) 41, also called “Pietown Road.” Drive south on CR 41 for approximately 3.7 miles until you reach the Armijo Canyon sign, which will be on the east side of the road. Turn left, and after approximately 1.5 miles you will reach the parking area and trailhead. CR 41 and the road leading to Armijo Canyon may become impassable when wet, so please keep an eye on the weather.
Hole-in-the-Wall
Driving Directions: Drive south on NM 117 until you reach CR 42, also known as Chain of Craters Backcountry Byway. Turn on this road and proceed northwest for approximately 2.1 miles until you reach a fork in the road, take a right, and proceed north for approximately 5 miles to the trailhead. Please keep an eye on the weather. CR 42 is a dirt road and is impassable when wet.
Fees
None