El Malpais National Monument

The views were amazing, but you need to make sure where you are going!
Several address are incorrect, and cell service is not reliable... so make sure you know where you are going and bring a map (yes, old school map)! just so you can find your way around when your GPS gets you lost! Ha-Ha!!

The address listed as well as the address in GPS will take you to the visiting center, best way to take is exit 89 and go south and you will be on the scenic road through the park. The La Ventana arch is beautiful and a short walk from the parking lot, very easy to find, and we also did the Lava Fields loop which is super beautiful, but the trail is a little hard to follow, so just a tip to follow the rock piles to know which way to go exactly!

Closed from the beginning of October thru the end of February. Stop at the visitors center off exit 85 for information and directions

You need to go to 1900 E. Santa Fe to the visitor center to get free cave passes if you want to explore. GPS will still take you to the wrong place so look for signs.

There is primitive camping with a free permit from the office. Location tag is wrong on RT's map. To get to the park exit 89 off hwy 40 onto 117 heading south. There is also a BLM free? primitive campground just south of BLM Office on Hwy 117.

Start at the visitor center! They have great views, nice little walkthrough of artifacts and information, the rangers are helpful as always and a nice restroom before exploring. There is a little trail right there by the center. It is short and doesn't show you the big lava beds but it is convenient and has some really pretty outlooks. All the other trails looked like you had to drive to them. We were tight on time and it was December so it was cold so we didn't get a chance to check it all out. You can see the lava beds from the road but not the best part. We will be returning and the rangers recommended coming in the spring. According to the other reviews GPS sucks around there but there is a lot of signs right off the highway.

Loved the la Ventana Arch and volcanic fields! Beautiful!

VC was closed due to COVID but a Ranger was still available to give directions. I love this park site for its geological history as well as the wilderness aspect to it. Enjoy the silence and solitude.

Wrong address

Beautiful stop. Clean restroom, helpful Rangers, perfect weather to stretch legs and entertain kids.