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By Plane
Major airlines serve Albuquerque, New Mexico, which is 72 miles from the monument. Rental vehicles are available in Albuquerque and limited rentals are available in Grants, NM and Gallup, NM. Greyhound bus lines has limited service to Grants, NM.
By Car
El Malpais is located south of Grants, NM. Two major state highways border the monument and conservation area and both are accessed via Interstate 40. Exit 89, east of Grants, will take you along NM 117 which forms the eastern boundary. BLM's El Malpais Ranger Station is located 9 miles south of this exit and is open 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. daily. Exit 85, at Grants will take you to the Northwest New Mexico Visitor Center, a multi-agency facility, located south of exit 85 open 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. during Daylight Savings Time and 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. the rest of the year. Exit 81, west of Grants, will take you along NM 53 which forms the northwestern boundary. NPS's El Malpais Information Center is located 23 miles south of this exit and is open 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. daily.
By Public Transporation
Greyhound bus lines has limited service to Grants, NM.
Getting Around
Two state highways provide access to many areas in the monument. These are NM 117 and NM 53. County Road 42, a dirt road, provides access to the backcountry's primitive dirt roads. These roads may be impassable when wet. Travel on these roads is restricted to high clearance vehicles and those with four-wheel drive are preferred. Mountain bikes, hiking and horseback (no bike or horse rentals avaliable) are also means of transportation. Hiking routes exist throughout the monument. Most traverse lava flows and are marked with rock cairns. Few dirt routes exist. Backcountry hiking and cave exploration is permitted(a permit may be required), but no water is avaliable. Topographical maps and a compass or GPS unit are strongly suggested for backcountry exploration. Please stop by a visitor center for the park's caving policy and information prior to entering any cave. Use extreme caution hiking on lava terrain - its sharp and unstable! Please don't hike or cave alone.
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