El Malpais National Monument, NM
Steven Dutch, Professor Emeritus, Natural and Applied Sciences,
Universityof Wisconsin - Green Bay
 |
El Malpais (Bad Country) is a large tract of lava flows in western New Mexico. As paises go, it's pretty mal. |
 |
Visitor center. |
 |
The best panoramic overlook is on the sandstone bluffs east of the lava flows. |
 |
The lava flows are part of the Zuni-Bandera volcanic field, which last erupted about 3000 years ago. |
 |
Left and below: Views of the flows from an overlook on the bluffs. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Boy, that was close! It just missed the road! |
 |
Samples of pahoehoe lava |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Above: weathering pits in sandstone. | Below: textbook polygonal fractures in dried mud. |
 |
 |
 |
Bench Mark |
| Below: Looking northeast to Mount Taylor, a stratovolcano which erupted 3.3 to 1.5 million years ago. | |
 |
 |
 |
Ruins of a ranch house. |
 |
Left and below: Views en route to La Ventana Arch |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Above: La Ventana | Below: the surrounding canyon |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Left and below: views along the east front of the lava flows, headed north |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Below: the lava flows |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Ropy pahoehoe texture |
 |
The outlet of the flow near I-40 |
 |
The flow actually went down-valley along the present route of I-40 for about five miles. |
Return to Historic Sites Index
Return to Virtual Field Trips Index
Return to Professor Dutch's Home Page
Created 22 June 2007, Last Update 07 June 2020