El Malpais National Monument and National Conservation Area
IUCN Category V (Protected Landscape/Seascape)
Location	New Mexico, USA
Nearest city	Grants, NM
Coordinates	34°52′38″N 108°03′03″W / 34.87722, -108.05083
Area	114,277 acres (462 km²)
Established	December 31, 1987
Total visitation	143,515 (in 2004)
Governing body	National Park Service

View of the El Malpais Lava Fields

El Malpais National Monument is off I-40 in western New Mexico, USA, near Cibola National Forest. It is named El Malpais (Spanish for badlands) due to the extremely rough, rugged lava flow that covers much of the park. The lava flows fill a large basin rimmed by higher sandstone that forms large, wind-carved bluffs along much of the malpais. The terrain is so durable in some parts that trails cannot be constructed in the usual manner; cairns have been constructed to guide hikers. Attractions in El Malpais include its many lava tube caves, free for all to explore unguided, and Cerro Encierro, a popular hill to hike or climb with spectacular views. Another area of interest is La Ventana Arch. Paved road leading to the arch makes it easy to explore this huge natural sandstone arch. Going through the area known as The Narrows the cliffs rise up like a fortress, yet around the bend, the cracks and fissures formed by the water have calved off chunks that lay on the ground or propped up as if leaning for support. The other side of the road opens onto the remains of ancient lava, now supporting small trees and bushes. Park at the south end of the Narrows in the picnic area and you can take a hiking trail along the rim of the mesa. There's also a scenic overlook from the high bluffs on the eastern side of the malpais. Visitors coming in on route NM 117 along the eastern portion of the over 114,000 acres preserved should stop at the ranger station to pick up some literature, maps, and helpful information. The World Conservation Union or International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) is an international organization dedicated to natural resource conservation. ... Image File history File links Red_pog. ... Image File history File links US_Locator_Blank. ... Capital Santa Fe Largest city Albuquerque Area  Ranked 5th  - Total 121,665 sq mi (315,194 km²)  - Width 342 miles (550 km)  - Length 370 miles (595 km)  - % water 0. ... Grants is a city located in Cibola County, New Mexico. ... is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The National Park Service (NPS) is the United States federal agency that manages all National Parks, many National Monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2032 × 1524 pixel, file size: 641 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) View of El Malpais Lava Fields May 2005 by Bryce Chackerian File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2032 × 1524 pixel, file size: 641 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) View of El Malpais Lava Fields May 2005 by Bryce Chackerian File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version... Interstate 40 (abbreviated I-40) is a major west-east interstate highway in the United States. ... Capital Santa Fe Largest city Albuquerque Area  Ranked 5th  - Total 121,665 sq mi (315,194 km²)  - Width 342 miles (550 km)  - Length 370 miles (595 km)  - % water 0. ... The Cibola National Forest stretches from western Oklahoma to western New Mexico. ... Look up lava, Aa, pahoehoe in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For the magazine see Cairn Magazine. ... Thurston Lava Tube in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. ...

The U.S. National Park Service manages El Malpais National Monument proper, while the U.S. Bureau of Land Management oversees the El Malpais National Conservation Area. The National Park Service (NPS) is the United States federal agency that manages all National Parks, many National Monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations. ... US BLM logo The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers Americas public lands, totaling approximately 261 million surface acres (1,056,229. ... National Conservation Area is a designation for certain protected areas in the United States. ...

Suggested Readings

• Mabery, Marilyn (1999). The Volcanic Eruptions of El Malpais: A Guide to the Volcanic History and Formations of El Malpais National Monument. Ancient City Press, 83. ISBN 1-58096-007-3. 

External links

• Official National Parks Service site
• El Malpais National Monument travel guide from Wikitravel
• Offbeat New Mexico - El Malpais
• Topozone USGS Quad Map