El Malpais National Monument
Closure Caution See 3 current alerts
Current alerts (3)
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Closure
All lava tube caves closed November 1 through April 30
All park lava tube caves are closed for the winter from November 1 through April 30 to protect hibernating bats.
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Closure
El Calderon Trail closed for construction through November 2026
The El Calderon Trail and parking area are closed from August 2025 through November 2026 for a major improvement project. NPS Road 100 will remain open for local traffic only, and the Continental Divide Trail will remain open for CDT thru-hikers.
More from the park: El Calderon Trail closed for construction through November 2026
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Caution
NPS 300 Road Conditions
NPS 300 to Big Tubes has muddy spots. A high-clearance, four-wheel-drive vehicle is recommended. The road past Big Tubes is very rough and only accessible to high-clearance, four-wheel-drive vehicles.
Hours
El Malpais National Monument
| Every day | All Day |
|---|
El Malpais National Monument is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with the following exceptions:
- Sandstone Bluffs Overlook and the West Zuni-Acoma Trail parking lot are open from sunrise to sunset.
- El Malpais Visitor Center and parking area is open daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Winter hours may vary. The visitor center is closed on Thanksgiving Day, December 25th, and January 1st.
- El Malpais Emergency Operations Center is currently closed to the public.
Visitor centers
El Malpais Visitor Center
El Malpais Visitor Center
| Every day | 9:00AM - 5:00PM |
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Coming up:
- Nov 26: Thanksgiving Day (closed)
The El Malpais Visitor Center is open daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. The visitor center is closed Thanksgiving Day, December 25th, and January 1st. The parking lot also closes and there is no overnight parking.
About this park
The richly diverse volcanic landscape of El Malpais (el-mal-pie-EES) offers solitude, recreation, and adventure. Explore incredible geologic features such as young lava flows, cinder cones, lava tubes, and sandstone bluffs. While some may see a desolate environment, people have been adapting to and living in this extraordinary terrain for generations. Come visit the land of frozen fire!