El Malpais National Monument

Usual hours

• Mon–Sun 0:00–0:00

From 56 published days, 2026-10-18 to 2026-12-12; community-mapped.

About

Entrance / day-use fee applies.

This park's official page lists: Store / concessions.

This park's official page lists: Visitor center.

At the park

• Exhibits exhibit
• Camping activity
• Picnicking activity
• Caves & caverns scenic feature

Shows and experiences

• Historic sites & museum

Events

• Bats of El Malpais: Bioacoustic Surveys

Before you go

Limits

Only a few caves are open for public exploration, and these require a free caving permit

Limits

Pets are not permitted inside caves or the visitor center

Getting there

No roads exist through El Malpais National Monument. To explore the east side of the park, take exit 89 off I-40 and head south on Highway 117. To explore the north side of the park, take exit 81 off I-40 and head south on Highway 53. To reach the visitor center, take exit 85 off I-40 in Grants, New Mexico. After you exit, head south on Santa Fe Ave and continue straight over the freeway overpass. Take a left at the entrance sign for El Malpais Visitor Center and continue 300 yards to the parking lot.

Weather & when to go

As a general rule, daily temperatures swing roughly 30 (F) from night lows to afternoon highs. Summer is sunny and hot with monsoon rain storms and an average high of 80 (F). Winter is cool, sunny, with potential snow storms and an average high of 45 (F). Spring and fall are generally dry with the occasional storm rain and/or snow storm. For more information on weather and current weather conditions visit https://www.nps.gov/elma/planyourvisit/weather.htm

⚠ Park 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.

⚠ 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.

⚠ Park 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.

Visitor center

El Malpais Visitor Center — 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. — Take Exit 85 off I-40 in Grants, NM. If coming from the east, turn left at the stop sign, and proceed across the freeway overpass. If coming from the west, turn right at the stop sign. Turn left at the entrance sign to the El Malpais Visitor Center. Continue 300 yards to the parking area.

Facilities on the park map

1 visitor information.

History

Opened

1987

• Park opened