The Chain of Craters WSA is located in west-central New Mexico within the El
Malpais National Conservation Area. This is a line of more than 25 cinder
cones that was the result of magma finding a weak spot in the Earth's crust.
The lower elevations are dominated by piсon and juniper woodland giving way to
forests of ponderosa pine at higher elevations. The Continental Divide
National Scenic Trail passes through this WSA.

The Chain of Craters WSA is located in west-central New Mexico within the El Malpais National Conservation Area. This is a line of more than 25 cinder cones that was the result of magma finding a weak spot in the Earth's crust. The lower elevations are dominated by piсon and juniper woodland giving way to forests of ponderosa pine at higher elevations. 
 
The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail passes through this WSA.

Bird's eye view of the park

Chain of Craters Wilderness Study Area

The West Malpais Wilderness is a landscape of volcanic lava flows, mostly
flat, and encompasses three main ecotypes. The southeastern portion of the
wilderness is a grassland with wide open expansive views. The western area is
a piсon-juniper woodland. Ponderosa pine is prevalent in the northern portion
of the Wilderness. The most distinctive landform within the West Malpais
Wilderness is a 6,700-acre kipuka (a Hawaiian term meaning island of fertile
ground) in the north part of the wilderness called Hole-In-The-Wall. Ponderosa
pines are sprinkled through the grassland of the kipuka, which is ringed by a
sea of broken, jagged basalt where ponderosa are plentiful. The Wilderness is
located within the El Malpais National Conservation Area.

The West Malpais Wilderness is a landscape of volcanic lava flows, mostly flat, and encompasses three main ecotypes.  The southeastern portion of the wilderness is a grassland with wide open expansive views.  The western area is a piсon-juniper woodland.  Ponderosa pine is prevalent in the northern portion of the Wilderness.  The most distinctive landform within the West Malpais Wilderness is a 6,700-acre kipuka (a Hawaiian term meaning island of fertile ground) in the north part of the wilderness called Hole-In-The-Wall.  Ponderosa pines are sprinkled through the grassland of the kipuka, which is ringed by a sea of broken, jagged basalt where ponderosa are plentiful.  The Wilderness is located within the El Malpais National Conservation Area.

West Malpais Wilderness Area

The El Malpais WSA consists of several independent tracts of land under
consideration for Wilderness designation in conjunction with lands proposed
for Wilderness within the El Malpais National Monument (managed by the
National Park Service). One tract includes Little Hole-in-the-Wall, a kīpuka
(a Hawaiian term meaning island of fertile ground). The kīpuka is surrounded
entirely by jagged basalt. This area is covered by piñon-juniper woodlands and
open stands of ponderosa pine. The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail
passes through this WSA.

The El Malpais WSA consists of several independent tracts of land under consideration for Wilderness designation in conjunction with lands proposed for Wilderness within the El Malpais National Monument (managed by the National Park Service). One tract includes Little Hole-in-the-Wall, a kīpuka (a Hawaiian term meaning island of fertile ground). The kīpuka is surrounded entirely by jagged basalt. This area is covered by piñon-juniper woodlands and open stands of ponderosa pine. The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail passes through this WSA.

El Malpais Wilderness Study Area

The richly diverse volcanic landscape of El Malpais (el-mal-pie-EES) offers
solitude, recreation, and adventure. Explore incredible geologic features such
as lava flows, cinder cones, lava tube caves, 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!

The richly diverse volcanic landscape of El Malpais (el-mal-pie-EES) offers solitude, recreation, and adventure. Explore incredible geologic features such as lava flows, cinder cones, lava tube caves, 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!

El Malpais National Monument

The Chain of Craters Backcountry Byway is a 33-mile backcountry byway located
in El Malpais National Conservation Area (NCA) and National Monument in
northwestern New Mexico. The byway, which is County Road 42, passes almost
exclusively through public lands. County Road 42 forms the western boundary of
the West Malpais Wilderness and connects NM 53 and NM 117. For information
regarding what you will see or the public lands you will have access to along
the byway, see BLM's El Malpais NCA recreation website.

The Chain of Craters Backcountry Byway is a 33-mile backcountry byway located in El Malpais National Conservation Area (NCA) and National Monument in northwestern New Mexico. The byway, which is County Road 42, passes almost exclusively through public lands. County Road 42 forms the western boundary of the West Malpais Wilderness and connects NM 53 and NM 117. 
 
For information regarding what you will see or the public lands you will have access to along the byway, see BLM's El Malpais NCA recreation website.

Chain of Craters Backcountry Byway

Imagine the refreshment of finding water after days of dusty travel. A
reliable waterhole hidden at the base of a sandstone bluff made El Morro (the
headland) a popular campsite for hundreds of years. Here, ancestral Puebloans,
Spanish, and American travelers carved over 2,000 signatures, dates, messages,
and petroglyphs. Make El Morro National Monument a stopping point on your
travels.

Imagine the refreshment of finding water after days of dusty travel. A reliable waterhole hidden at the base of a sandstone bluff made El Morro (the headland) a popular campsite for hundreds of years. Here, ancestral Puebloans, Spanish, and American travelers carved over 2,000 signatures, dates, messages, and petroglyphs. Make El Morro National Monument a stopping point on your travels.

El Morro National Monument

This WSA is made up of sagebrush flats and pinyon covered sandstone hills.
This area is under consideration for addition to the Cebolla Wilderness.
Please see the Cebolla Wilderness webpage for more information.

This WSA is made up of sagebrush flats and pinyon covered sandstone hills. This area is under consideration for addition to the Cebolla Wilderness. 
 
Please see the Cebolla Wilderness webpage for more information.

Chain of Craters Wilderness Study Area

Directions

Reviews

Nearby Parks

West Malpais Wilderness Area

El Malpais Wilderness Study Area

El Malpais National Monument

Chain of Craters Backcountry Byway

El Morro National Monument

Canyons Wilderness Study Area