El Malpaís
El Malpaís National Monument is a stark volcanic park in northwest New Mexico with lava flows, basalt plateaus and cinder cones that offer stark geology and desert wildlife.
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Geography
| Continent | North America |
|---|---|
| Region | Southwest United States |
| Subregion | American Southwest |
| Country | United States |
| State | New Mexico |
| County | Cibola County |
| District | El Malpaís |
| City | Grants |
| Timezone | AmericaDenver |
| Latitude | 35.065 |
| Longitude | -107.875 |
| Maps |
7:15 PM LOCAL TIMEEl Malpaís — whose name means 'the bad land' — is a landscape of basaltic lava flows, pumice and cinder cones, and expansive desert flats located just south of the city of Grants, New Mexico. Formed by late-Pleistocene and Holocene volcanic activity, the monument’s rugged terrain provides geologists and hikers with dramatic lava tubes, rippled basalt fields, and steep cinder slopes. While the terrain is difficult and unmarked, it rewards visitors with remote solitude, wildlife viewing and views toward the Zuni and San Mateo mountain ranges. Common activities include day hiking, photography, and wildlife observation — with caution required for loose footing and exposed surfaces. El Malpaís is adjacent to and sometimes shared with the Cibola National Forest and private lands, with visitor facilities primarily at the nearby Sky City Casino and the Grants region.
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