Two hours west of Albuquerque, a frozen lava tube, a field of black basalt and a sandstone cliff covered in 400 years of signatures sit within about an hour’s drive of each other. The timing this week matters, because the schedule at El Morro changes on Sunday.
If you’re looking for things to do west of Albuquerque beyond the usual stops, this loop through Grants and down NM Highway 53 is one of the best. It covers a lava tube you can walk into with almost no gear, a national monument with a free-permit caving system, and a cliff that has served as a travelers’ guest book since the 1600s.
The Drive and the Shape of the Day
Grants sits on I-40 about 80 miles west of Albuquerque, by the distances published for the Ice Cave. According to the attraction’s own FAQ, you take I-40 west to Exit 81 in Grants, turn south on NM Highway 53, and follow it 25 miles to the entrance. That puts the Ice Cave at roughly 100 miles from Albuquerque, which I’d budget about two hours for. One camping site lists a shorter time, but the distances don’t support it. El Morro is farther down the same highway, about 45 miles southwest of Grants according to one travel guide, so the two can be linked in a single loop.
That’s roughly 200 miles of driving for the full day, so it’s a long one. If you’d rather split it, the Grants RV park page covers staying in town, and our Explore the area guide has more ideas for the region.
El Malpais: The Badlands
El Malpais is Spanish for “the badlands,” and it describes the young lava flows that cover the landscape. According to the National Park Service’s hours page, the monument is open year-round, trails and trailheads are open 24 hours a day except the Sandstone Bluffs Overlook, which is open sunrise to sunset, and the El Malpais Visitor Center at Exit 85 off I-40 is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. There are no entrance fees, according to local guides. The NPS also warns that many dirt roads become impassable after summer rain or winter snow, so call the visitor center at 505-876-2783 for current road conditions.
One landmark is worth knowing even though it isn’t technically in the monument. La Ventana Natural Arch, described as the largest natural arch in New Mexico, sits on BLM land just off NM Highway 117 on the monument’s east side, and a short trail leads to its base. The Sandstone Bluffs Overlook is along the same road and makes an easy first look at the lava flows.
The Lava Tube Caves: Permits and Reality
This is the part people misunderstand. According to the NPS lava tube caving page, a caving permit is required to enter any lava tube cave at El Malpais, and all of them are undeveloped wilderness caves with no permanent trails, steps or lights. Permits are free and issued in person at the El Malpais Visitor Center or the El Morro Visitor Center, according to the NPS permits page, and the park limits each cave to 10 people per day.
Two things that change plansThe NPS caving page lists the El Calderon Trail and Junction Bridge Cave as closed for trail construction through November 2026, and says to check the park’s alerts or call the visitor center about cave closures. The park’s 2022 announcement of newly opened caves also says visitors must attend a safety briefing and have equipment inspected before entering. In other words, this isn’t a casual stop. Call ahead, ask what gear you need, and plan to pick up the permit in person.
If you want a lava tube without the paperwork, there’s an easier route, and the NPS itself points to it. Its caving page calls the privately owned Ice Cave on Highway 53 the easiest way to experience a lava tube cave.
The Ice Cave and Bandera Volcano
The Ice Cave and Bandera Volcano is a private attraction next to the monument, at 12000 Ice Caves Road. Admission is listed at $14 for ages 13 and up, $7 for children 6 to 12, and free for under 6, with no reservation required. Both the volcano and the ice cave are covered in that one price, along with a small trading post and museum. Reviews describe a roughly half-mile trail to a lookout over the cinder-cone crater and a short quarter-mile route with stairs down into the ice cave, about 1.7 miles in all, and warn that the descent to the ice is steep.
The cave is the draw. It’s a collapsed lava tube that stays cold year-round, with ice described as up to 20 feet thick in places, and it was formed about 3,400 to 3,500 years ago, according to different write-ups. The attraction’s hours vary by source: several list a March 1 to November 1 season, while its own site data lists daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 505-783-4303 to confirm, especially if you’re going in the last two weeks of the season.
The attraction’s pricing page lists plumbing-free camping cabins at $70 a night, and a blog post lists RV parking without hookups at $20 and tent sites at $15. It’s primitive, so if you need power and water, base in Grants.
El Morro: Inscription Rock
El Morro is the quieter, more human half of the trip. The sandstone bluff has more than 2,000 inscriptions and hundreds of petroglyphs on its face, according to the NPS things to do page. The oldest Spanish inscription is Don Juan de Oñate’s, carved April 16, 1605, which beats the Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock by about 15 years, according to one travel guide. The pool at the base of the cliff is why travelers stopped here at all, since water is scarce in this country.
Inscription Rock Trail: 0.75 milesAbout 45 minutes, per the NPS, past the pool and hundreds of Spanish and early American inscriptions and petroglyphs. You must start by 4:00 p.m.
Headland Trail: 2 milesAbout two hours, per the NPS, which includes the Inscription Rock Trail and then climbs to the top of the bluff and Atsinna Pueblo, an Ancestral Puebloan dwelling. According to the monument’s current alerts, admittance to the Headland Trail ends at 2:30 p.m. Portions of it may close during winter.
The Winter Schedule Starts Sunday
The NPS alerts and conditions page says summer hours are in effect through October 17, with the monument open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mountain Time. Winter hours run from October 18, 2026 to May 27, 2027, with the monument closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays and open Thursday through Monday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It’s also closed on Thanksgiving, December 25 and January 1. The trails are only open when the visitor center is open, and hiking them after hours isn’t permitted.
The practical effect is a weekday trap: after this Sunday, pick Thursday through Monday. The NPS also notes some trail portions may close from November through April depending on ice and snow, so ask a ranger before you start.
Start with the stop that has a deadline. Right now that’s El Morro, because of its 2:30 and 4:00 trail cutoffs. If you want to do the Headland Trail, plan to arrive by early afternoon, then use whatever time is left for the Ice Cave or the overlooks, which are more flexible.
Putting It Together
A sensible order from Albuquerque is I-40 to Grants, then south on NM-53. If you want a caving permit, stop at the El Malpais Visitor Center at Exit 85 when it opens at 9. Head to the Ice Cave in the late morning, have lunch, and reach El Morro by about 1 p.m., which leaves time for the Headland Trail before the 2:30 cutoff. Drive back before dark. If the day feels too packed, drop the Ice Cave or split the loop over two days.
What to Bring
El Morro sits at about 7,200 feet according to one guide, so mornings are cold even when afternoons warm up. Dress in layers, wear shoes with grip, and bring water and snacks, since I haven’t verified services along the highway. Fill your tank in Grants.
RV Notes
El Morro has a campground about a mile from the visitor center, according to the NPS hours page, and older guides describe nine free, first-come sites. Quiet hours run 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. For a base with hookups before or after the loop, the New Mexico RV park page covers staying with us, and the pricing page shows current rates.
Drive: about 80 miles to Grants; about 100 to the Ice Cave (I-40 Exit 81, south on NM-53); El Morro about 45 miles southwest of Grants.
El Malpais (NPS): no fees; Visitor Center (Exit 85) 9-5; free in-person cave permit, 10 people per cave per day; Junction Bridge Cave closed through Nov 2026; roads 505-876-2783.
Ice Cave (private): $14 adults, $7 ages 6-12; season listed as March 1 to Nov 1; 505-783-4303.
El Morro (NPS): winter hours from Oct 18, closed Tue/Wed until May 27; start Inscription Trail by 4 p.m., Headland Trail by 2:30 p.m.
For a home base before and after a day trip west of the city, ABQ RV Park is where to start.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to enter the lava tube caves at El Malpais?
Yes. The NPS requires a free caving permit for any lava tube cave at El Malpais, issued in person at the El Malpais or El Morro visitor center, with each cave limited to 10 people per day.
Is there an easy way to see a lava tube without a permit?
The NPS calls the privately owned Ice Cave on Highway 53 the easiest way to experience a lava tube cave. It charges admission, which is listed at $14 for ages 13 and up and $7 for children 6 to 12.
Is El Morro open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays?
Not after October 17. Winter hours run October 18, 2026 through May 27, 2027, with the monument closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays and open Thursday through Monday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
How long are the trails at El Morro?
The Inscription Rock Trail is 0.75 miles and takes about 45 minutes, and the Headland Trail is 2 miles and takes about two hours, per the NPS. Start the Inscription Rock Trail by 4 p.m. and the Headland Trail by 2:30 p.m.
How far is El Malpais from Albuquerque?
Grants is about 80 miles west on I-40, and the Ice Cave is about 25 miles farther on NM-53, so plan on roughly two hours, and more to reach El Morro.
Can I camp near these sites?
El Morro has a campground about a mile from its visitor center, and the Ice Cave lists primitive camping, cabins and RV parking without hookups. For hookups, a campground in Grants is the better option.
