El Malpais National Monument is a
National Monument located in western
New Mexico, in the
Southwestern United States.
[3] The name El Malpais is from the Spanish term
Malpaís, meaning
badlands, due to the extremely barren and dramatic
volcanic field that covers much of the park's area.
It is on the
Trails of the Ancients Byway, one of the designated
New Mexico Scenic Byways.
[ Source Wikipedia
The Lava Falls Trail is located on the monument's youngest lava flow, which makes it a great area to see many lava features including ropy pahoehoe, squeeze-ups, and other geological curiosities. The trail is a rough 1 mile loop marked by cairns.
Hiking Cairned Routes
In El Malpais many trails are actually routes marked with cairns. Instead of a well-defined path clearly visible on the landscape, a series of rock piles called cairns are used to trace a route across the land. These routes are very common on lava landscapes, where creating a traditional trail or footpath is impossible because of the extreme nature of the terrain.
Hiking cairned routes requires more attention to navigation. As you travel, make sure you have the next cairn in sight before leaving the one that you are at. Keep your eyes on the land while walking; the uneven nature of the terrain demands that you pay more attention since there is no even surface. If you want to enjoy the views, stop, get a secure footing, and then look around. Look back frequently to stay familiar with the landscape as it changes.
Sure: National Park Service
