La Ventana Arch, El Malpais

More photos from the El Malpais area in New Mexico, this time not of lava flows but of the nearby La Ventana Arch, a sandstone natural arch near the park road just north of The Narrows. If I'm reading the map right, the road is roughly the boundary between the National Monument and the BLM-administered El Malpais National Conservation Area, and the arch lies just over the line in BLM territory. This bureaucratic division has no practical implications for you as a casual visitor, as far as I know.

The Narrows, El Malpais

[View Larger Map] <0>A few old photos from El Malpais National Monument in western New Mexico, just south of the town of Grants. Much of the monument consists of an enormous, rugged lava flow (hence the name), and these photos were taken from the Narrows viewpoint, looking out over the dark expanse.

I realize giant lava flows aren't everyone's cup of tea, and it's not like there's a shortage of dramatic scenery in this corner of the world, but it's still kind of a remarkable sight. So I'm always a bit surprised when people inevitably say they've never heard of the place. Well, now you have.