El Malpais National Monument is a volcanic landscape of lava flows, cinder cones, and lava tube caves near Grants, New Mexico. This guide covers hours, prices, parking, accessibility, and practical visitor tips for planning your trip.
This guide was last updated in August 2026. The current official hours page lists the El Malpais Visitor Center as open seven days a week, a change from a widely circulated 2017 announcement about reduced hours and Tuesday and Wednesday closures, so guides still citing that older schedule are out of date.
Quick facts
| Opening hours | Monument: open 24 hours (Sandstone Bluffs Overlook: sunrise to sunset). Visitor Center: 9 am–5 pm, 7 days a week |
| Entry fee | Free |
| Parking | Free; no overnight parking at trailheads or the visitor center lot |
| Address | 1900 E. Santa Fe Ave, Grants, NM 87020 (Visitor Center) |
| Nearest transport | Personal vehicle recommended; Albuquerque International Sunport is about 1.5 to 2 hours away |
| Typical visit length | Half a day to a full day |
El Malpais National Monument opening hours
Trails and trailheads are open 24 hours a day, with the exception of Sandstone Bluffs Overlook, which is open from sunrise to sunset. No overnight camping or parking is permitted at trailhead parking areas.
The El Malpais Visitor Center, at Exit 85 off I-40, is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm, seven days a week. Its parking lot closes nightly at 5 pm, though the rest of the monument remains open to visit while the visitor center is closed.
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- 🚴 Take a bike tour – and see Albuquerque’s top natural sights.
- 👻 Listen to spooky historic tales on an Old Town ghost tour.
El Malpais National Monument ticket prices
There is no entrance fee to visit El Malpais National Monument. This was checked on the official website and last updated in August 2026.
A free caving permit is required to enter most lava tube caves, issued for a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 10 people per group, with each cave capped at 10 visitors per day. Permits can be picked up at the El Malpais Visitor Center or the El Morro National Monument Visitor Center. Junction Cave, reached from the El Calderon Trail, is the exception and needs no permit. El Malpais National Monument is not included in any bundled city pass scheme such as Go City or CityPASS.
How to get to El Malpais National Monument
The El Malpais Visitor Center is located at Exit 85 off Interstate 40, just east of Grants, New Mexico. Other key sites are spread along two state highways: NM-117 to the south, home to Sandstone Bluffs Overlook and La Ventana Natural Arch, and NM-53 to the west, home to El Calderon Trail, Big Tubes, and the BLM Ranger Station.
Albuquerque International Sunport is roughly 1.5 to 2 hours away by car. There is no public transit into the monument, so a personal vehicle is essential.
Parking at El Malpais National Monument
Parking is free at all trailheads, overlooks, and the visitor center. No overnight parking or camping is permitted at trailhead lots or the visitor center parking area.
Because the monument is so spread out, plan your route in advance between the NM-117 and NM-53 sides, since driving between them takes over an hour via paved roads.
How long to spend at El Malpais National Monument
A half-day visit is enough to see Sandstone Bluffs Overlook and walk a short trail such as El Calderon. Visitors wanting to explore both the NM-117 and NM-53 sides, or add lava tube caving, should plan for a full day or more.
Serious cavers heading into the more remote Big Tubes area, on the BLM-managed portion of the monument, often treat it as a dedicated day trip on its own.
Accessibility at El Malpais National Monument
Sandstone Bluffs Overlook has an accessible viewing area reachable by a short walk from the parking lot. The visitor center itself is fully accessible.
Most trails cross natural, uneven lava terrain and are not wheelchair accessible, so visitors with mobility needs may find the overlooks the most practical way to experience the landscape.
Inside El Malpais National Monument
El Malpais protects a vast volcanic landscape shaped by five major lava flows and at least eight volcanic vents, earning it the nickname “land of frozen fire.” Sandstone Bluffs Overlook offers sweeping views across the lava fields, while the El Calderon Trail winds past a cinder cone and several lava tube cave entrances through piñon-juniper forest.
On the BLM-managed western side, La Ventana Natural Arch, New Mexico’s second-largest natural arch, and the Big Tubes area, known for its collapsed lava tube caves, draw hikers and cavers alike. The 7.5-mile Zuni-Acoma Trail follows a historic trade route across the lava, and a section of the Continental Divide Trail also passes through the monument. Wildlife includes elk, black bear, and mountain lions, alongside bats that roost in the lava tube caves.
Practical visitor tips
| Tip | Detail |
|---|---|
| Timing | Get your caving permit at the visitor center before heading out to the caves. |
| Crowds | The monument rarely feels crowded, even at Sandstone Bluffs Overlook on weekends. |
| Layout | Sites are split between the NM-117 side and the NM-53 side, over an hour apart by road. |
| Entry process | There is no gate or ticket; drive in freely and stop at the visitor center for permits or maps. |
| On-site logistics | Wear sturdy boots, since the sharp volcanic rock can quickly damage soft-soled shoes. |
Frequently asked questions about El Malpais National Monument
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is there an entrance fee? | No, El Malpais National Monument is free to visit. |
| Do you need a permit to go caving? | Yes, for most lava tube caves, except Junction Cave off the El Calderon Trail. |
| Which days is the visitor center open? | Seven days a week, from 9 am to 5 pm. |
| Is overnight camping allowed? | Not at trailheads or the visitor center; backcountry camping rules apply elsewhere. |
| Is there cell phone service in the monument? | Coverage is unreliable across most of the monument, so plan accordingly. |
Things to do near El Malpais National Monument
- El Morro National Monument: a sandstone bluff with centuries of carved inscriptions, about 40 minutes away.
- Grants, New Mexico: the nearest town, with restaurants, hotels, and the Mining Museum, a few minutes’ drive.
- Acoma Pueblo (Sky City): a historic pueblo atop a sandstone mesa, roughly 45 minutes’ drive.
- Bandera Volcano and Ice Caves: a privately run volcano and ice cave site, about 30 minutes away.
- Continental Divide Trail: a long-distance hiking route passing directly through the monument.
What to visit tomorrow
- El Morro National Monument: a sandstone bluff and historic inscriptions site, about 40 minutes away.
- Petroglyph National Monument: a volcanic escarpment with thousands of carved petroglyphs in Albuquerque, roughly 1.5 hours’ drive.
- Bandelier National Monument: ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings among volcanic tuff, about 2 hours away.
- Valles Caldera National Preserve: a vast volcanic caldera with grasslands and hiking, roughly 2 hours’ drive.
- Bandera Volcano and Ice Caves: a privately run volcano and ice cave attraction, about 30 minutes away.
More New Mexico travel
Other New Mexico travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- Complete guide to the Santa Fe Botanical Garden in New Mexico.
- Visiting the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
- Las Cruces road trip guides: The best stops on the Las Cruces to Albuquerque drive, Las Cruces to Phoenix drive and Las Cruces to Tucson drive.
- Practical guides to visiting the ABQ Biopark and experiencing the Indian Pueblo Cultural Village in Albuquerque.
- Guides to visiting the Albuquerque Museum and what to see at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science.
