West Malpais Wilderness Area is a designated wilderness area in New Mexico, managed by the Bureau of Land Management.
The West Malpais Wilderness is a landscape of volcanic lava flows, mostly flat, and encompasses three main ecotypes. The southeastern portion of the wilderness is a grassland with expansive views. The western area is a pinon-juniper woodland. Ponderosa pine is prevalent in the northern portion of the Wilderness. The most distinctive landform within the West Malpais Wilderness is a 6,700-acre kipuka (a Hawaiian term meaning island of fertile ground) in the north part of the wilderness called Hole-In-The-Wall. Ponderosa pines are sprinkled through the grassland of the kipuka, which is ringed by a sea of broken, jagged basalt where ponderosa pines are plentiful. The Wilderness is located within the El Malpais National Conservation Area. The establishment of a Wilderness Area identifies an are
Permits, campgrounds and official information on Recreation.gov
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