El Malpais National Conservation Area
The El Malpais National Conservation Area is a federally protected conservation area in the U.S. state of New Mexico. The El Malpais National Conservation area was established in 1987 and is managed by the Bureau of Land Management as part of the National Landscape Conservation System. The adjoining El Malpais National Monument was established at the same time and is managed by the National Park Service.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
| Designation | National Conservation Area |
| Managed by | Bureau of Land Management |
| State | New Mexico |
| Size | 263,107 acres (computed from the boundary polygon) |
| National Conservation Lands id | NLCS000521 |
| Center point | 34.8442, -108.2014 |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 21) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 2 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 11.3 miSan Esteban del Rey Mission ↗National Historic Landmark
- 1.6 miCharley's Automotive Service ↗Grants, NM
- 9.8 miAcoma Curio Shop ↗San Fidel, NM
- 12.4 miBowlin's Old Crater Trading Post ↗Bluewater, NM
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is El Malpais National Conservation Area?
263,107 acres, measured from the published boundary polygon. The agency’s own figure can differ where the boundary includes water or inholdings.
Source: How acreage is computed
Who manages El Malpais National Conservation Area?
The Bureau of Land Management.
Source: Bureau of Land Management
What state is El Malpais National Conservation Area in?
New Mexico.
Source: How states are assigned
Can I camp at El Malpais National Conservation Area?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Lobo Canyon Picnic ground, 8.5 miles out. 2 in all are within ten miles. Rules vary by unit; the BLM page has the current camping rules.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to El Malpais National Conservation Area?
A point inside the boundary is at 34.844, -108.201. El Malpais National Monument is 1 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Bureau of Land Management
How dark is the night sky at El Malpais National Conservation Area?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 21 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, very dark ground, a faint glow at most.
Source: NASA Black Marble
Which national parks are near El Malpais National Conservation Area?
El Malpais National Monument (1 mi) and El Morro National Monument (10 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near El Malpais National Conservation Area?
4 National Register listings within 15 miles, including San Esteban del Rey Mission and Charley's Automotive Service.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name: the BLM National Conservation Lands layer.
- States: computed by intersecting the boundary with Census state polygons; a state is listed when it holds at least one percent of the area.
- Acreage: geodesic area of the published polygon. The agency’s official acreage can differ where the boundary includes water, easements or inholdings.
- Description: El Malpais National Conservation Area on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. The article was accepted because its title contains this unit’s name.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.