A black badlands of lava flows, lava-tube caves, and a giant sandstone arch.
Photo: James St. John · CC BY 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
El Malpais — Spanish for 'the badlands' — is a rugged volcanic landscape in west-central New Mexico where black lava flows meet tan sandstone bluffs. It's a place of cinder cones, ice-filled lava-tube caves, a huge natural arch, and ancient trails worn across the jagged rock. Two paved highways run down opposite sides of the lava and never meet across it, so the monument rewards a little planning. Best of all, it's free — no entrance fee and no pass.
The east side, along NM-117, is the scenic-overlook side: the Sandstone Bluffs Overlook gives a sweeping view across the black sea of lava, and La Ventana Natural Arch — one of the largest sandstone arches in New Mexico, managed by the BLM — is a quarter-mile gravel walk from the highway. The west side, along NM-53, is the lava-and-caves side, where the ancient Zuni-Acoma Trail crosses 7.5 miles of broken lava marked only by cairns. Caving here is a real expedition rather than a stop: a free permit is required, permits are never issued to solo cavers, and only two wilderness caves are open in summer, both at the end of miles of dirt road.
Elevation runs from about 6,400 feet on the flows to over 8,000 feet on the volcanoes — warm summers (the dark lava radiates extra heat), a late-summer monsoon, and cold winters. The caves stay cold year-round and close entirely from November 1 through April 30 for hibernating bats. The lava hiking is genuinely rough, so wear sturdy boots and carry water and a map. It's remote, so fuel up in Grants, the gateway town, and pair it with nearby El Morro and Acoma Pueblo.
El Malpais is best understood as two roads on either side of a lava flow. NM-53 runs along the west edge past the lava tubes and the privately run ice cave; NM-117 runs along the east past the sandstone bluffs and La Ventana Arch. No pavement crosses the middle. The only link is a 33-mile dirt byway around the south end, so most drivers pick a side or drive the long way round on I-40.
South from I-40 Exit 89, paved the whole way. A 1.5-mile gravel spur climbs to the Sandstone Bluffs Overlook, then it's another dozen miles down to La Ventana Arch, 18 miles from the interstate. The easier of the two roads and the one with the big views.
South-west from Grants at I-40 Exit 81, paved, carrying on past Bandera Volcano toward El Morro and Zuni. This is the side for the lava tubes — but the caves themselves are miles off the pavement on dirt, so the highway only gets you to the turnoff.
Thirty-three miles of county-graded dirt curling around the south end of the lava from NM-53 to NM-117, along the edge of the West Malpais Wilderness. Blind curves, rough sections, no water and no restrooms — the BLM recommends a truck or 4WD, and rain or snow can make it impassable. It's also the way in to Big Tubes. Grants is about 27 miles away from the middle of it.
The interstate runs across the northern edge with Grants as the base. Exit 81 for NM-53, Exit 85 for the visitor center, Exit 89 for NM-117 — so the monument is an easy detour off a cross-country drive.
A short run down from the interstate, then a 1.5-mile gravel climb to an overlook on the edge of the lava, where you can walk out onto bare sandstone and see the flow stretching to the horizon. It is the single best half hour in the monument and it costs nothing to reach.
TipThere are no guardrails at the bluffs and the drop is real. The gate is sunrise to sunset, so it's not a sleep-in-the-lot spot. La Ventana Arch is a few miles further south and worth continuing to.
Lava tube country, where the caves hold ice year-round. This is caving rather than sightseeing: a free permit, a party of at least two, real gear, and miles of dirt road that want high clearance. Bandera Ice Cave, just off the highway, is the easy alternative — it's a privately owned attraction with its own admission, usually open March through October.
TipGet the permit before driving out, and ask about the road while you're there. Carrying on west puts you at El Morro in another forty minutes, which is the natural way to do both.
A sweeping panorama from atop tan sandstone cliffs out over the black sea of lava, with Mount Taylor on the horizon. A 1.5-mile gravel road climbs to the parking area, where there are picnic tables and toilets.
Insider tipThis is the one spot in the monument that closes at night — it's open sunrise to sunset only. There are no railings, so watch the cliff edges, and turn around if thunderstorms are building.
Plan a trip to this spot →One of the largest sandstone arches in New Mexico — a huge span in the cliffs 18 miles south of I-40, reached by a quarter-mile gravel trail from the pullout. Run by the BLM, not the Park Service, with pit toilets and picnic tables.
Insider tipQuick stop — pair it with Sandstone Bluffs on the NM-117 side; morning or late light makes the arch glow.
Plan a trip to this spot →The signature underground adventure — undeveloped wilderness tubes with roof openings, ice columns, and moss gardens. Two are open in summer: Giant Ice Cave and Lava Bomb Cave, both out in the Big Tubes backcountry.
Insider tipGet the free permit in person at the El Malpais or El Morro visitor center (9 am–5 pm). Minimum two people — no solo permits — maximum ten per cave per day, and everyone must be present to collect it. Bring a helmet, gloves, knee pads and three lights each (a phone doesn't count), and clothing that has never been in a white-nose-syndrome cave. Giant Ice is 8 miles down dirt; Lava Bomb is 4 miles further still.
Plan a trip to this spot →An ancient Puebloan route still used today between Zuni and Acoma, crossing 7.5 miles of jagged lava marked only by rock cairns. There are trailheads with pit toilets at both ends — NM-53 on the west, the Acoma-Zuni trailhead on NM-117 on the east.
Insider tipRough and strenuous — wear ankle-supporting boots, carry a GPS and plenty of water, and keep the next cairn in sight before leaving the last one. It's a one-way crossing unless you shuttle a second car, so many people just walk part of it and turn around. The west parking lot is open sunrise to sunset.
Plan a trip to this spot →A 4.8-mile loop over a cinder cone that erupted around 60,000 years ago, past lava tubes and the Bat Cave that sends Brazilian free-tailed bats streaming out at dusk on summer evenings. From the same highway, County Road 42 — the Chain of Craters Backway — runs 33 miles of graded dirt around the south end of the lava to NM-117.
Insider tipThe El Calderon trail and its parking lot are closed for a major rebuild through September 2026, which also closes off the bat viewing — check the park's conditions page before you count on it. County Road 42 is open year-round but wants a high-clearance truck or 4WD, and it turns to mud in monsoon rain and winter snow.
Plan a trip to this spot →The orientation hub off I-40, open daily 9 am to 5 pm — maps, current cave and dirt-road conditions, and where you pick up the free cave permit.
Insider tipStop here first to get the permit and ask a ranger about road conditions before heading to either side. No overnight parking in the lot; it closes at 5 pm.
Plan a trip to this spot →High desert running from about 6,400 feet on the lava to over 8,000 feet on the volcanoes: warm, dry summers (the dark lava radiates extra heat, so the flows feel far hotter than the air), cold winters with occasional snow, and a late-summer monsoon (July–August) that brings the heaviest rain and can make the dirt roads impassable. The caves stay cold and icy year-round — and close November 1 through April 30 to protect hibernating bats. Spring and fall are the comfortable seasons.
Two paved highways down opposite sides of the lava, with no pavement across the middle — start at the visitor center at I-40 Exit 85.
Via I-40 Exit 89 — the Sandstone Bluffs Overlook, La Ventana Arch, the Narrows, and the Acoma-Zuni trailhead. The scenic-overlook side, and the easier half day.
Via I-40 Exit 81 — El Calderon, the Big Tubes area, and the lava-tube caves. Pick one side per day: the only link between the two highways is County Road 42, 33 miles of graded dirt around the south end. Free; remote — bring water and fuel.
No developed campground inside — backcountry only; nearby free campgrounds and Grants.
Joe Skeen Campground (BLM, on NM-117) has 10 free first-come sites with shade shelters, pit toilets and fire grates; the campground at neighboring El Morro (NPS, on NM-53) has 9 free first-come sites. Those are the most convenient established options.
Booking tipThere are no campsites inside the monument itself, and overnight parking is not allowed at any trailhead or overlook — so no sleeping in the van at Sandstone Bluffs. Primitive backcountry camping is permitted a quarter mile off any road or trailhead, but the jagged lava makes it tough.
The gateway town with motels, fuel, food, and private campgrounds — the practical base for visiting both sides.
Booking tipStock up here; there are no services inside the monument.
Is it free?
Yes — no entrance fee and no pass required. Cave permits are also free.
Do I need a permit to go caving, and what gear?
Yes. Permits are free and issued in person, first-come, at the El Malpais Visitor Center (I-40 Exit 85) or the El Morro Visitor Center on NM-53, daily 9 am to 5 pm. Your whole party has to be there to pick one up, there's a two-person minimum (solo cavers are refused) and a ten-person cap per cave per day. Bring a helmet, gloves, knee pads, good boots and three light sources each — a phone doesn't count — and clothing that has never been worn in a cave where white-nose syndrome has been found. Only two caves are open in summer: Giant Ice and Lava Bomb, both reached by rough dirt roads that want high clearance.
What's the difference between the two roads?
NM-117 (east) is the sandstone side — the Sandstone Bluffs Overlook, La Ventana Arch and the Narrows. NM-53 (west) is the lava side — cinder cones, the Big Tubes area and the lava-tube caves. No paved road crosses the lava between them. The only direct link is County Road 42, the Chain of Craters Backway: 33 miles of graded dirt around the south end, high-clearance recommended and often impassable when wet. Most people just do one side per day.
How rough is the lava hiking?
Very — trails like the Zuni-Acoma and the Big Tubes cross sharp, uneven lava. Wear ankle-supporting boots, follow the rock cairns, and carry a GPS or map; it's easy to lose the route.
When should I go?
Spring and fall are most comfortable, and the caves are open. Summer is hot (the lava radiates heat) with monsoon storms that mire the dirt roads; winter is cold with possible snow, and every lava tube is closed for hibernating bats from November 1 through April 30.
How remote is it?
Remote, with no in-park services — no fuel, no food, no water. Grants is the last stop for all three, and the nearest services to the middle of County Road 42 are about 27 miles away there. Don't count on cell signal, download the map before you go, and ask a ranger about dirt-road conditions before heading out.
Pick your vehicle, line up the stops on the way in and out, and carry the whole route in your pocket.
