El Malpais Sand Bluff and Lava Fields 1

by Birgit Seeger-Brooks

Title

El Malpais Sand Bluff and Lava Fields 1

Artist

Birgit Seeger-Brooks

Medium

Photograph - Photograph

Description

El Malpais National Monument and Conservation Area were established in 1987. El Malpais is located off Interstate 40 between exits 81 and 89. The national monument protects 114,277 acres of volcanic landscape, while the adjacent national conservation area protects and additional 263,000 acres. The area has been inhabited for over 10,000 years. Native American groups including the Acoma, Laguna, Zuni, and Ramah Navajo still utilize the park for traditional activities including gathering herbs and medicines, paying respect, and renewing ties.
El Malpais means "the badlands", so named due to the volcanic features such as lava flows, cinder cones, pressure ridges and complex lava tube cave systems that dominate the landscape. Sandstone bluffs and mesas border the eastern side, providing access to vast wilderness. Elevation ranges from 6500 to 8399 feet. The most recent lava flow emanated from McCarty's Crater within the last 2,000 to 3,000 years, so the park remains a geologically active area. Caves created from ancient lava tubes are found throughout the park, with some cave systems extending as far as seventeen miles.
While known more for its geologic features than for its wildlife, the park is home to golden eagles, red-tailed hawks, prairie falcons, and great-horned owls, black gears, mule deer-elk, coyotes, mountain lions and bobcats. Residents also include rattlesnakes, scorpions, black widow spiders and brown recluse spiders.

Uploaded

October 23rd, 2013

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Viewed 75 Times  -  Last Visitor from El Segundo, CA on 04/06/2024 at 12:10 AM

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