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The haunted, dramatic lands of El Malpais bear witness to rugged natural forces and vanishing cultures.
A lava field creates a landscape of pressure ridges, spatter cones and lava tubes. Sandstone cliffs rise above, with striated layers of color. Balancing stones stand sentinel in the desert. An eroded sandstone ridge forms the largest accessible arch in New Mexico, La Ventana.
El Malpais National Conservation Area was established in 1987 at the same time as the adjacent El Malpais National Monument. The 263,000-acre El Malpais NCA is managed by the Bureau of Land Management and includes two wilderness areas, the West Malpais and Cebolla, together covering almost 100,000 acres.
El Malpais translates to "the badlands" in Spanish and is pronounced Mal-(rhymes with wall)-pie-ees. El Malpais NCA was established to protect nationally significant geological, archaeological, ecological, cultural, scenic, scientific, and wilderness resources surrounding the Grants Lava Flows.
In addition to the two wilderness areas, the NCA includes dramatic sandstone cliffs, canyons, La Ventana Natural Arch, the Chain of Craters Back Country Byway and the Narrows Picnic Area where primitive camping is possible.
Native Americans still use these lands for hunting and religious ceremonies. The Cebolla Wilderness contains ruined homesteads from the Great Depression and ancient petroglyphs.
This is a place of rugged hiking and backpacking. Lava flows are brittle and sharp and there is no water available in the entire area.
The Brazo Canyon is excellent for mountain biking. Primitive camping is allowed throughout the area, and campers may be treated to the sight of antelope grazing on the open plain.
The visitor center is located off N.M. State Road 117 nine miles south of Interstate 40.
El Malpais is located south of Grants, NM and 80 miles west of Albuquerque. Two state highways provide access to the national conservation area and national monument and both are accessed via Interstate 40. Exit 89, east of Grants, will take you along NM 117 which traverses the east side. Exit 81, west of Grants, will take you along NM 53, which travels down the northwestern edge.
Outdoor Activities |
Cactus blooms in a rocky crevice at El Malpais.
The brittle, volcanic landscape at El Malpais requires heavy footwear and long pants.
La Ventana Arch, New Mexico's longest, draws visitors to the Cebolla Wilderness.
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