El Malpais National Monument — Attraction in Four Corners States

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, it's tens of degrees cooler inside, so dress accordingly. Wear long pants that won't snag (i.e. not Lycra yoga pants). Jeans or hiking pants are best. You'll be in your belly crawling in some areas. Likewise, long sleeves are good too. If you are a big guy, you'll 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 it's easy to wash off, but rubber gardening would also work. Some of the guys in our group wore leather gloves. The grime doesn't 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 there's 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 isn't 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 it's not the end yet" lol. We were much faster the second time because you could tell exactly where to go and didn't have to guess at anything. Although we actually liked the exploring and looking around thinking, "can I fit through this? Let's give it a try!" Now there's orange spray paint arrows that takes the question out of it. It feels more commercialized now that I don't like, but it's 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 don't 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 don't 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 (you'll 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...

El Malpais National Monument is an awe-inspiring destination that blends rugged volcanic landscapes with serene desert beauty. From the moment we arrived, we were struck by the vastness and variety of the terrain—lava flows, sandstone bluffs, cinder cones, and the stunning La Ventana Arch all made for an unforgettable experience.

We started our visit at the Sandstone Bluffs, which offered panoramic views that were absolutely breathtaking. The short hike to La Ventana Arch was easy and rewarding, and the arch itself is a natural wonder. We also explored the Lava Falls area, which felt like walking on another planet—challenging but totally worth it if you're up for a bit of scrambling.

The visitor center (when open) is informative and welcoming, with friendly rangers who are passionate about the park’s geology and history. Even when it was temporarily closed, we found plenty of signage and online resources to guide us.

This park is perfect for those who love geology, solitude, and off-the-beaten-path adventures. Just be sure to bring plenty of water, sturdy shoes, and a sense of wonder. We’re already planning a return trip to explore the lava tubes and hike more of the trails!

A stunning landscape by land and...

You can spend months exploring El Malpaise! Whatever you do make sure to catch the sunset at Sandstone Bluffs Trail. There you'll 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 we'll 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...