Ice Cave and Bandera Volcano — Attraction in Milan

We were headed toward Gallup, NM and in looking for things to see came across the Ice Cave and Bandera Volcano. I had read about it online and when my wife saw the information while we were on I40, we decided to go. It is off the interstate, but Ice Cave Road loops into Gallup, NM, if you're headed that way. This is a family owned site. The buildings are some of the originals on site. There is a gift store area, along with many historical pieces to see in the main building. It also has a snack bar. The trail to the top of the volcano was well kept. Keep in mind all trails will be loose gravel of volcanic rock. Portions of trails through the scenic loop were more rugged. It was a good walk though and we walked it with tennis shoes. It was neat to see the old lava flows and crater area. You are provided with a brochure that points out geological features from the eruption event and will see these along the trails. The Ice Cave was neat as well. The stairs here are steep! Think ship stairs. Instead of walking in, you are down into the cave opening. As you make your down the stairs you can feel the temperature change. Icecicles and a frozen pool are something to see when the outside temperature is over 80 degrees. You overlook the frozen pool, but can not touch it as it is a historically significant protected geological feature. This was a neat place to visit. We were there about 1.5 hours and it was a good stop to make as a break...

I was driving the bypass through the two national parks and came across this on the map. I saw that it was private and wasn't sure if I wanted to stop or not. I drove out the gravel road to the location and it was a very cute little place. Picnic area and shop. Went inside and paid my $12 to see the sights. Walked about a quarter-mile to the ice cave and down the steps. It was quite spectacular. Walk back the other direction and up along path to the volcano. it was on a Saturday afternoon and I didn't run into one other person along the way until I was on my way back. Standing at the top of the volcano and looking in all by yourself is quite breathtaking. They have a little guy that tells you what different things are along the way. Well worth the $12 and the time it took. I would say allow about 2 hours for the hiking and looking around. Extra time if you want to pick neck which I would do. The weather was raining the day I went so I did not. There is a pit toilet outside but they have heated restroomsany great little shopping museum that tells the history of the area.the same family has owned this attraction since the forties and the story is quite nice. I don't usually fall for touristy kind of things but this one was more than worth the time and money. I will definitely go backand I would recommend it to anyone who can make a little detour down there. it's not on the beaten path but it's not too far...

First and foremost, if you haven't been paying attention, this attraction is on the Continental Divide. That means the trails start at 8,000 feet above sea level. You may find you have significantly less stamina than you expect.

It is $12 for adults, $6 for kids, and free for kids under 6.

There are two trails. One to the ice cave (roughly a third of a mile each way) and one to the to of the volcano (around a half mile each way). If you ignore the altitude, the trails are fairly easy for able bodied people.

The trail to the volcano is pretty and interesting (it is self guided, so you can take it at your own pace). Make sure to look at pamphlet they give you when you come to a numbered log in the ground. The volcano itself is impressive and a bit scary to think about.

The real attraction is the ice cave. Sadly, it has many steps down and they are not regular, so if you have problems with stairs, you will have trouble (made worse by the altitude). I had to sit and wait to catch my breath after climbing the stairs back out, so I had the pleasure of seeing several groups go down. There is a specific step that made every single person I saw say "wow!". Literally every person said wow on that step, it was hilarious. As with the volcano trail, make sure to read from the pamphlet at each...