About El Malpais Wilderness Study Area
The El Malpais WSA consists of several independent tracts of land under consideration for Wilderness designation in conjunction with lands proposed for Wilderness within the El Malpais National Monument (managed by the National Park Service). One tract includes Little Hole-in-the-Wall, a kīpuka (a Hawaiian term meaning island of fertile ground). The kīpuka is surrounded entirely by jagged basalt. This area is covered by piñon-juniper woodlands and open stands of ponderosa pine. The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail passes through this WSA.
Things to do
When to go
Weather data & source
Each figure averages the highlighted months. 2018–2023 averages, not a forecast. Wet days estimate days with at least 1 mm of rain or snow using a calibrated ERA5 threshold. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Weather data by Open-Meteo.com (AWS Open Data, CC BY 4.0). ERA5 via Open-Meteo AWS Open Data
Plan your visit
El Malpais Wilderness Study Area is managed by Bureau of Land Management. Check current conditions, permits, and reservations before you go.
See it on Recreation.gov →