El Malpais National Monument, Grants

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ElMalpaisNPS is a Facebook fan page established by the National Park Service in March 2012 as an interpretive outreach forum to strengthen public connections to park resources, and to encourage visitors to share experiences of the park with each other. You are welcome to "like" and comment on status updates, links, photos, and video clips posted here by park staff and volunteers.

If you wish to express a comment about something related to the park in a formal and official capacity, several established methods and mechanisms are at your disposal. To get started, please visit the park website at http://www.nps.gov/elma or contact the park directly by mail at 123 E. Roosevelt Ave, Grants, NM 87020. Contact the park via telephone at 505-876-2783 or 505-783-4774.

El Malpais National Monument is located in the west half of New Mexico near Grants. The monument was established in 1987 and preserves an authorized boundary of 114,277 acres. The monument is made up primarily of volcanic features such as lava flows, cinder cones, pressure ridges and complex lava tube systems, however; sandstone bluffs and mesas can be found along the borders on the eastern side.

People have interacted with the landscape in and around the monument for more than 10,000 years. The monument is filled with many historic and archeological sites, which are kept alive by the spiritual and physical presence of contemporary Indian groups, including the Puebloan peoples of Acoma, Laguna, and Zuni, as well as the Ramah Navajo. These tribes continue their ancestral uses of area lands including lands within the monument by continuing to gather herbs and medicines, paying respect to their heritage and ancestors and renewing ties.

Most visitors come to the monument during the summer months. Travel within the monument can be challenging however as many of the access points are from dirt and lava covered trails, which, for the most part, are not routinely maintained. Access to some areas close due to snow and rain.

Plan to see El Malpais National Monument and other attractions that appeal to you using our Grants tour itinerary tool.
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