El Malpais National Monument, Continental Divide

Taking its name from the Spanish word ‘Malpais’ or ‘badlands’, the El Malpais National Monument is a dramatic volcanic landscape of solidified lava fields, caves and sandstone bluffs.

The geological formations found here were created by ancient volcanic activity.  When the volcanoes that once studded this plain erupted, streams of molten rock flowed across the landscape, cooling and solidifying to create this ‘Land of Frozen Fire’.

Today there are all kinds of otherworldly forms to explore, from the lava tubes and caves to the cinder cones and, just a short hike away, the graceful sandstone La Ventana Arch.  Then, a climb up the tall bluffs nearby allows a fantastic view over this strange, alien landscape.