El Mapais and El Morro Nat'l Monument
Posted: Fri Jun 28, 2013 9:48 amLeaving Grants NM on highway 53, I didn't get 15 minutes out and the landscape changed drastically. It was farm/ranchland
and as it climbed became pinion pine and tall pines. It was beautiful. Stopped at a place called El Mapais Nat'l Monument.
So much to see here as it is encompassed by three state highways, 53 on the north, 117 on the south and joined by 42 on the
west. The national monument is managed by the National Park Service and the national conservation area is managed by
the Bureau of Land Management. There is free camping on the BLM land, very nice sites but boondock style althought there
are vault toilet block buildings. Some have water spickets for the campground. There are also nearby full hookup private
places and the signs posted were like $17 a night for full hookup.
I've put this place on my "TO GO" list as I could spend two weeks at El Morro and two weeks at El Mapais and just explore
the area. Lots of exploration trails at El Mapais and since its lava beds you have to have good hiking boots. The ice cave
is gonna be cool
There is a total of 21 volcanos in the park, one being Bandero with the ice cave which is a little piece of private land
on the edge of the park. I wanna go there too. The park itself has 20.
pictures you ask........
and the visitor center..
landscape and picnic tables
on to El Morro
talks about Petroglyphs
and the blm campsites....(there was one listed for wheelchair which included a cement sidewalk all around the site)
really nice flat pads
and as it climbed became pinion pine and tall pines. It was beautiful. Stopped at a place called El Mapais Nat'l Monument.
So much to see here as it is encompassed by three state highways, 53 on the north, 117 on the south and joined by 42 on the
west. The national monument is managed by the National Park Service and the national conservation area is managed by
the Bureau of Land Management. There is free camping on the BLM land, very nice sites but boondock style althought there
are vault toilet block buildings. Some have water spickets for the campground. There are also nearby full hookup private
places and the signs posted were like $17 a night for full hookup.
I've put this place on my "TO GO" list as I could spend two weeks at El Morro and two weeks at El Mapais and just explore
the area. Lots of exploration trails at El Mapais and since its lava beds you have to have good hiking boots. The ice cave
is gonna be cool
There is a total of 21 volcanos in the park, one being Bandero with the ice cave which is a little piece of private land
on the edge of the park. I wanna go there too. The park itself has 20.
pictures you ask........
and the visitor center..
landscape and picnic tables
on to El Morro
talks about Petroglyphs
and the blm campsites....(there was one listed for wheelchair which included a cement sidewalk all around the site)
really nice flat pads
