Big Tubes Area
The Big Tubes Area of El Malpais National Monument is definitely the highlight, in my opinion. It’s got fields of lava 10 feet tall off the ground, natural bridges, lava tubes, & ice caves! The NPS Website now says that the lava tubes and caves are closed from November 1st through April 30th, but I don’t believe that was the case when I went in 2018. Check the NPS website to make sure.
The Big Tubes Area is accessed by taking County Road 42 to the Big Tubes Road and traveling 4.5 miles to the parking area, which you can’t miss. Be careful though, if there’s a lot of snow or if the road’s wet, it can be impassable.
Once you’ve parked your car, you’ll set out for about .5 miles of hiking on soft ground before you reach the tough and rough on your shoes lava rocks. In the summer they can be hot as heck and they’re sharp so watch your step! Big Skylight Cave and the lava bridge are to your left but the entire hike loop and exploration is a little over 2 miles. The trail is only marked by stacked rock cairns so be on the lookout. Don’t leave your stack until you see the next one if you’re not great at directions. I usually hate rock cairns and have been known to kick them over, but out here, they can be all you’ve got to get you back to the parking lot.
Beyond Skylight Cave and the lava bridge there’s Giant Ice Cave, Four Windows Junction, Seven Bridges Overview, & more!
Not far from the Big Tubes area is the Ice Cave and Bandera Volcano that are very worth a visit.