Immaculate vantage point with amazing panoramic views. Free at this point in time, not sure if it is always free or not. About a 15 minute drive off of I 40 mostly on paved road with about 5 to 7 minutes up a gravel driveway. Multiple viewpoints with the ability to blaze your own trails, however watch your step as there are no boundaries and many sheer rock faces which make this place even more immaculate. The laws of field below makes you feel like you are in another world. When we visited it was extremely quiet and we were the only ones out there which made it even more of a tranquil and special experience.

A huge park full of young and old rock. The enthusiastic park ranger at the visitors center near Grants was full of suggestions to see the parks unique features. I was hoping to hike through the Lava tubes but unfortunately they were not issuing permits due to Covid. Although when i hiked the El Calderon Trail, there wasnt really anyone around and there are no doors on the caves...

Can I give it 10 stars? I love this place. Its dynamic and strange and interesting. Its stark and beautiful. I will be back.

Truly incredible. There were lots of hiking trails and easily accessible lava tubes that you could climb in and explore. The area around it was real strange because it was almost like a mix between a forest and a desert and God just couldn’t make up his mind on what it should be so he just made it both. The weather was perfect, at least when I visited. The cinder cones themselves are amazing, even the smallest one is over 1000ft across and when you’re in the crater of it, you can really feel it’s size. Definitely worth visiting.

Pretty cool place.....awesomes vistas!

Very cool to see. Easy hike! Wear comfortable shoes, can be a little rocky if you take shortcut from Volcano to Ice Cave.

Went in the evening to see the bats fly out. Pretty cool! Ran in to 2 rattlesnakes so be careful!

Really enjoyed hiking the Zuni Acoma Trail today! It was 8 miles, kind of tiring, but well worth it. The rangers or whoever maintains the trail does a very good job at it! Not only is it VERY clean, but the markers along the trail make it so we wont get lost! I cant wait to do this trail again very soon!

Beautiful scenery. A fun car ride.

This is a very beautiful area of New Mexico! The visitor center for the park unit is a huge museum with a ton of information on the history, culture and the geography. The staff were very helpful and provided good info as well as some brochures for private company tours. The visitor center doesnt open until 9am. There are gas stations, travel centers, and restaurants at the exit for the visitor center. The actual park and most of the hikes are about a 30-45 minute drive, but there is an easy hike that starts at the visitor center.

My very favorite destination in the area by far! I was amazed by the breathtakingly beautiful scenery. My only complaint is that we got a bit of a slow start and I could have easily spent many more hours exploring this magnificent area. Highly underrated and under discussed with the locals. If you love nature and photography this is an absolute must!

A typical hidden gem, yeah ya all dont go there Ill keep it secret

AMAZING!!! No other way to describe it. Such a powerful, nature experience.

My favorite recreation spot in New Mexico so far. Nice easy touring roads, tons of hiking and lots of scenic spots. Bring your camera and plan to add 2 days to any trip so you can fit in extra sightseeing

Beautiful drive and nice hikes. Check history center for restrictions during bad weather.

Absolutely beautiful and rugged landscape. Volcanic rock blankets a wide swath of the valley that is edged by fantastic sandstone cliffs and mesas.

Great for kids to go caving! Free camping at Joe Skeen Campground-- I think we got the last spot for the night. Junction cave was awesome-- it is cool in there. Be sure to get a free permit at the visitors center, and definitely bring a helmet, or get one there because you will need it! If you have kids that love climbing all over everything, this is the place to go!

This is really something to see. Its a beautiful place. We were there July 2016 and stayed in Joe Skeen Campground which is free dispersed camping. It rained every day late in the afternoon but was sunny for most of the day.

Hidden gem. We did not know that the park existed and that there were lava flows and tubes in New Mexico. We got any early start to avoid the hotest part of the day and found the trail to be spectacular. The wild flowers were beautiful.

Got to stop here on my way to the Bisti Badlands. Landscape wise, this place is as pretty as the Arches National park minus the Arches. (This place has just one).

Beautiful lava flows surrounded by sandstone cliffs and mountains. Scenic destination well worth visiting in New Mexico.

Visit the tourist center and get the map to the arch. Its a steep and short hike to the arch. Well worth the trek.

A lovely national monument just off I-40 near Grants, NM. The park is a large lava field with the youngest lava in the continental United States, the product if a large number of new extinct volcanoes. The are several hikes in the monument, including a short trail to an arch and a longer trail across the lava field. There are no campgrounds in the monument but back country camping is available. The town of Grants is nearby.

Nice and quiet, rock climbing hicking

The view from the Sandstone Bluffs Overlook is breathtaking and is so quiet. You can climb on the rocks, but be careful and dont get to close to the edge because its a sheer cliff a couple hundred feet high. Also, the road to the overlook is gravel/dirt that becomes impassible when wet.

Very nice day trip from Albuquerque. Strongly suggest the bluffs and the lava field hike. Well worth the drive from ABQ.

Great hikes from beginner to some more advanced trails. Going down in the caves and out on the lava flows was a blast and the information center staff was extremely helpful and informative. El Malpais is a must-see.

Huge park with lots to explore. Great free campground in the monument

Beautiful country trail of lava flows and desert landscapes. A little rough but definitely worth the trouble to see this unique place.

So much to see if youre a rockhound and formations nut! Drive slow and take it all in.

Highly recommend. Stop at the visitor center off 40 FIRST. The park stops are laid out over 150 mile loop (if you include El Morro, which you should definitely go to as well). Big tubes trail is VERY rough and not for novice hikers or folks with knee or back problems, but well worth the effort for the able-bodied, careful adventurer.Be sure to take the long trail past the carvings at El Morro to the top of the rock. The views are awesome and theres a hidden canyon on the back side of the monument.

Definitely worth stopping for if you have an hour or two in your schedule.

A beautiful early morning drive and hike!

Beautiful drive and view at sandstone bluffs and la ventana natural arch

So many good memories here caving!

A really cool place to visit.

Great place for a family trip!

Very interesting monument. The lava beds are quite impressive.

I always enjoy the El Malpais. Its part of the ancestral homeland of Haaku, the Pueblo of Acoma!

A good place to take a short break. You can take a hike or just enjoy the views. Bathrooms were clean compared to most I have been in.

Beautiful place. High desert.

Today was an absolutely beautiful day to be out exploring El Malpais and surrounding areas. I would highly recommend a day trip.

Merry Christmas if you’re interested in buy a gift going EBay online

You can spend months exploring El Malpaise! Whatever you do make sure to catch the sunset at Sandstone Bluffs Trail. There youll find epic sandstone formations overlooking a lava field. We also went to the lava falls trail, it was a short and easy hike through a 3000 year old lava flow. And we had to go check out the La Ventana Natural Arch, the most famous landmark in the area. Its a paved walk to the arch, bathrooms in the vicinity. Next week well go to explore the ice caves, cant wait!I ended up getting into the Big Skylight Cave, old lava tube. It was phenomenal!The cave includes perfectly preserved lava benches, a pahoehoe flow floor, and delicate “moon milk” minerals. Under the skylight you can also observe a moss garden. it was somewhat difficult getting down into it. I recommend talking with one of the rangers at El Malpais visitor center.Update, today we hiked the Narrows Rim Trail, 4.2 mile in and out. It was spectacular in every sense. I hiked with my 15 month old son in a pack on my back, we finished the trail in about 4 hours with several breaks. There is some shade from the pine trees doted throughout the trail. Make sure to bring sunscreen and lots of water and snacks.

New Mexico’s best kept secret! The visitor center is beautiful and the staff is very helpful. We’ve taken two large groups threw the caves and everyone has loved it. The ages of the hikers have ranged from 3-70 and everyone has been able to do it. Wear pant and get a headlamp and enjoy your time down under! So fun!

Windy and scenic

Views and rock formations, hikegreat.

Should I stay or should I go? Well I went. This place awesome. Hiking in the lava area is amazing. Although hard on your body as the terrain is very uneven. Don’t even think about falling, but if you surrender your self as you fall. I took a couple of tumbles as I was exiting the tube. I am ok. I am a avid hiker, so this a sort of an easy hike if you are in shape. Wear long pants and long sleeves in case you happen to fall. Be sure to bring a headlamp and heavy duty gloves, they are helpful when giving on to sharp rocks. Should you find yourself with some free time, step back in time to the lane tubes. It’s about 1:45 to the trail head from Albuquerque. Early Spring the roads can get very messy and muddy. AAA won’t make here, so check with the park office before heading there. The drive is really very beautiful. I saw lots of beautiful cactus during my visit there. Go out and. explore, but be prepared with all the usual stuff for safety.

Breathtakingly beautiful

Whole region is pretty good with lava formations. Quite a few trails with some being tough. There are quite a few caves as well

This is one of the nicest national monuments in New Mexico. The visitor center is huge and gorgeous with a large museum about the area. The park Rangers are extremely helpful and friendly. The park itself is enormous and requires a bit of driving to see all the sights. You could easily spend a couple full days here seeing all there is to see. This park is such a beautiful place in New Mexico and has rock features that you would expect to see only in places like Utah. The caving is actually really fun, just make sure you do your homework beforehand especially to minimize the spread of white nose syndrome. This is a park that not enough New Mexicans even know about and should be enjoying.

Beautiful scenery. A pleasure to drive instead of the freeway. Nice areas for picnicking.

Love this place

Very unique park. I was on the BLM side. Free campground that was very very nice. Small visitor center with ranger to answer questions. Interesting geology, hiking trails for all levels and lengths. The lava field trail takes you out into lava mounds that look so desolate yet there are small trees that manage to survive. Or climb up the bluffs and get a birds eye view for the lava flows.

Lots of driving. If you enjoy learning about volcanoes, youll love this place. Go to the museum first for information.

Cold lava!

Beautiful scenery. Hike with concrete trails. Exciting canyon views.......and God looked and saw what He created, and it was good.

Who knew there was a huge lava field right in the middle of New Mexico? Unless your from the state or have driven through you probably didnt. We were advised of El Malpais by some locals and decided to check it out. We only planned on driving through but ended up spending the whole day there. The views from the overlook are spectacular and walking in lava tubes 3000 miles outside of Honolulu was not anything I ever thought I would do! This is a must visit local if you find yourself in New Mexico.If you found my review helpful or informative, please click the like icon!

Watch out for the critters! Got to love the high desert!

Interesting juxtaposition of cliffs and lava fields. Beautiful scenery. Not crowded.

So beautiful. We were driving down the highway and at first glance it looked like there was a wildfire here. But after a bit of research, we found out that a volcano used to be here almost 1000 years ago and we were actually seeing harden black lava. One side of the highway was a black abyss of rock and the other was huge rock cliffs!

Lots of varied terrain to hike and sightsee in. Check out th visitor center to learn about all the options.

Fantastic views if you like this type of thing

El Malpais has several trails, picturesque vistas, and caves to explore. Worth repeated visits.

A very beautiful place to visit and its free of charge. The road to the sandstone bluffs is unpaved but the dirt road isnt too harsh. The last couple of times we went didnt have too many visitors which was nice. It let us enjoy the beauty of the landscape in peace. There is a bathroom at the bluffs but no running water. Just a toilet with a hole. Bring your own toilet paper, sanitary wipes, etc. There is also no water fountain so bring your own water, food, snacks.

Too much to see and do here .... But so worth the time

Id used the toilet before and after.

Great trails & sites to see

This place is so cool! We stopped by on our tour of NM in early March. The rangers at the visitor center are super helpful! We easily got permits for some caves. Unfortunately we were only able to do Xenolith cave because the other road was impassible due to rain. It was so cool tho! We also went down the other road and saw the arch and stuff.Would definitely recommend this national monument!

Very educational and cool to see. Not kid friendly.

Absolutely gorgeous!

Beautiful National Monument to stop by the plants are amazing year and even the stuff the ants build were amazing in front of the visitor center

Amazing caves! Make sure youre prepared they are primitive.

Just beautiful! SO different.....especially since Im from the Midwest!

Its tough to review Malpais considering how much there is to it. At the visitor center there are trails with some nice views, but if you keep going down the road theres a cliff you can park at, another parking spot with a great arch, and theres a wilderness/grassland to explore that has a giant lava field in it. Its a great place to make a day trip to because it will take a day just to see whats around Malpais, it would take multiple trips to fully explore it. There are so many places to get awesome photos here.

Very interesting geology in the area and always a pleasure. Depending on which route - 53 or 117 - its different worlds, so depends on what Im in the mood for. I prefer the El Calderon trail for hiking.

Good place to hike. Large lava bed.

There are some easy and intermediate caves in this area. Stop at the visitors center to get your free cave permit first, then drive into the park. They are quite a ways apart with many miles of driving in between.If you plan on going caving, its tens of degrees cooler inside, so dress accordingly. Wear long pants that wont snag (i.e. not Lycra yoga pants). Jeans or hiking pants are best. Youll be in your belly crawling in some areas. Likewise, long sleeves are good too. If you are a big guy, youll be in your forearms crawling and some passing of a long shirt can be nice. Girls can usually get away with crawling in a half pushup if not wearing long sleeves. If you bruise easily, the slim flat volleyball pads might be a good idea for your knees. If also recommend wearing gloves. I prefer to cave with rubber gloves like machinist gloves, because there pad and protect and its easy to wash off, but rubber gardening would also work. Some of the guys in our group wore leather gloves. The grime doesnt come off as easily, and they dinner have as good of grip, but in the areas you are going, they put in ladders where you used to have to climb, do not as big of a deal.Obviously a headlamp is a must. We usually have enough people that theres enough light without carrying a flashlight too, but bring extra batteries it extra flashlights just in case.The closest set of caves to drive to has two caves you can go in and some hiking to the cone where the volcano blew. They recently just renovated the caving. They put in reflectors where red is the way in and white is the way out. They sorry painted arrows where it isnt obvious where to go next. They even moved some of the rubble around to make paths inside the big areas of Lava tube. And they put in ladder stairs to get down to the basement of xenolith cave replacing the tree branch you used to have to climb down and up. The first time we went was before the reflectors and renovations. Then we took a friend again a few years later. I liked it better before there were any man made constructions inside, and I have that they defiled nature with sorry paint, but the reflectors were strangely assuring mentally saying, yes you are in the right track, no its not the end yet lol. We were much faster the second time because you could tell exactly where to go and didnt have to guess at anything. Although we actually liked the exploring and looking around thinking, can I fit through this? Lets give it a try! Now theres orange spray paint arrows that takes the question out of it. It feels more commercialized now that I dont like, but its easier to take visitors that are new or nervous :)As a side note, make sure you bring new shoes or at least shoes you have never been in another cave with so you dont spread The diseases killing the bats. At the trail head for xenolith cave, etc there is an outhouse with toilet paper, so please use that and dont go in the caves. Xenolith always seems to smell like urine at the entrance. The first came is literally a few feet from the parking lot. Then xenolith is a bit further down for a short hike.The ice caves and big tubes are a bit further of a drive and there is one ice cave in private property you can pay for entrance (youll see billboards for it).The big window La Ventana is better to see at certain times of day when light is behind the arch highlighting the monument.

The staff is very very polite, helpful and informative. They are definitely professional and very well trained.Visiting the caves requires a permit, which is free. Pick your permit up at the visitor center. DO NOT TAKE ANY SUPPLIES YOU MIGHT HAVE USED IN ANOTHER CAVE. There is a fungi going around that can causes bats to die that is found in some caves and they are very cautious to keep it out of New Mexico.Definitely take good hiking shoes, knee pads, elbow pads, lights, extra water and helmets.

These are some of the coolest hikes in New Mexico, and that is saying something. Bring flashlights and explore these natural caves. Just astounding geography, and a great family adventure

Some of the narliest trees ever. Spectacular views.

We hiked 2 trails. 1 was la ventana ..it was snowing and the other was the Lava rock trail. Both are less than a mile hikes. Easy and not dangerous trails. No services available at La ventana. 1 restroom available at Lava. You are on your own. Be safe. Its kid friendly.

So cool to see!

Absolutely amazing place, so much interesting history, the last true deadzones, lava as far as you can see and cliffs too tall to scale, im glad i took that wrong turn before grants and stumbled upon this place, warning no gas station for almost entire road off freeway, refill at the exit, or you will be stranded in the most beautiful place ever

Great Hiking. Easy (mostly), Scenic always. Mentally stimulating.

Love the outdoors and Gods beauty

Gorgeous area. A must see if traveling in NM

Nice place alot of hicking trails

Such variety! Volcano tube caving, hiking through sandstone arches and formations, recent lava flows.

A very different landscape but a ton if things to do.

Cool national park . A lot of things to do .

We hiked the lava falls trail and lava bowl with a dog and a 4 year old. Had a great hike and thoroughly enjoyed the terrain and different lava formations.Its a short hike, but memorable. Will be back

Beautiful rock formations. Great place for hiking and exploring.

Nice visit if in area. Not much to see except the arches and lava. However worth the visit. My personal opinion.

A great geological history.

Great free camping , had toilets.

Very nice place to visit. The El Calderon trail is easy. The park is easy to find. The view from the sandstone overlook is breathtaking. The lava Tube trail might be a little difficult for large parties or families. I recommend you see this place.

There is more to this place than most will ever figure out. So many hidden jewels. Arches, lava tubes, ruins sites and lots of solitude to list a few things. You could spend weeks here and still not see everything. Rangers typically helpful too

Excellent park. Rangers quite helpful. Lava Tube hike awesome but diffucult. Go prepared!

I highly recommend getting off of I-40 and checking out at least part of this very special park. I had no idea it was there. The volcanic formations are amazing and go for miles and miles. The sandstone formations are just as fascinating. No cost to visit this park.