El Malpais National Conservation Area facts for kids
Quick facts for kids El Malpais National Conservation Area |
|
|---|---|
|
IUCN Category V (Protected Landscape/Seascape)
|
|
El Malpais National Conservation Area
|
|
 El Malpais National Conservation Area
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Cibola County, New Mexico, United States |
| Nearest city | Grants, New Mexico |
| Area | 263,000 acres (1,060 km2) |
| Established | 1987 |
| Governing body | Bureau of Land Management |
| Website | El Malpais National Conservation Area |
The El Malpais National Conservation Area is a special protected area in New Mexico, a state in the United States. It was created in 1987 to protect important natural and cultural sites.
This area is managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The BLM is a government agency that looks after public lands. El Malpais is part of the National Landscape Conservation System, which protects amazing places across the country. Right next to it is the El Malpais National Monument, which is managed by the National Park Service (NPS).
The El Malpais National Conservation Area covers about 263,000 acres (1,064 square kilometers). This huge area includes two special "wilderness areas": the West Malpais Wilderness and the Cebolla Wilderness Area. These wilderness areas cover almost 100,000 acres (405 square kilometers) and are kept as wild and natural as possible.
A Long History with People
People have lived in and used the El Malpais area for over 10,000 years! This means there are many historic and prehistoric sites here. These sites help us connect with the past.
These special places are not just old objects. They are kept alive by the traditions and beliefs of Native American groups today. These groups include the Puebloan peoples of Acoma, Laguna, and Zuni, as well as the Ramah Navajo.
What Makes El Malpais Special?
The name "El Malpais" is Spanish. It means 'the badlands'. You say it like: Mal-(rhymes with wall)-pie-ees(rhymes with rice). This area was protected because it has many important features. These include unique geology (like lava flows), ancient archaeological sites, special plants and animals, and beautiful scenery.
The main reason for protecting El Malpais is the amazing Grants Lava Flows. These are huge areas of hardened lava from ancient volcanoes.
Besides the two wilderness areas, El Malpais also has tall sandstone cliffs and deep canyons. You can also see the famous La Ventana Natural Arch, which is a huge rock arch. The Chain of Craters Back Country Byway is a scenic road that takes you past many old volcanic craters. There's also the Narrows Picnic Area, a nice spot to relax.
If you want to visit, there are two visitor centers. One is the El Malpais Visitor Center, which is shared with the National Park Service. The other is the Bureau of Land Management Ranger Station. Both are easy to find off of I-40.
