Life with the Mountain Girls: Exploring the Lava Flows of El Malpais

For our human's birthday, we celebrated his 29th by exploring the lava flows and sandstone bluffs of El Malpais National Conservation Area. It was a beautiful spring day with crystal blue skies, a slight breeze, and warm sunshine. We were the only ones on the trail and enjoyed the peace and quiet along with stunning views as we explored the rim of the canyon overlooking the lava flows.

Rosie was a fearless and bold explorer on the trail. Our humans had to hold her back overlooking the cliffsides –she's too brave for her own good!

El Malpais is Spanish for "the badlands." El Malpais is famous for the volcanic geology and unique habitat it preserves. Pygmy pine trees grow straight out of the vast basalt flows from the Grants Lava Flow. For centuries, people have lived in and around the lava valley, including the Puebloan peoples of Acoma, Laguna, Zuni, and the Ramah Navajo. Today you can still witness trail cairns, petroglyphs, and other historic fragments that tell the story of the landscape's past and culture.

It was a warm spring day, so our humans made sure we drank lots of water on the trail. Lil sis took many breaks in the cool shade and was carried for a bit by our humans as the day warmed. She's a trooper!

I think she loved being carried!

The sharp contrast between the dark basalt lava flows and the light sandstone bluffs created beautiful vistas everywhere you look. We followed the rim trail for roughly 5 miles before our first view of the La Ventana Natural Arch, one of New Mexico's largest natural arches. The arch spans a 200-foot cliff, and the missing rock that formed the arch is over 60 million years old.

Our first view of the La Ventana Natural Arch.

How was the arch formed? The formation is mostly due to the large fluctuations of temperature between the high plains desert's warm days and cold nights. The sandstone expands in the heat of the day and cracks apart from the still cool rock hidden behind. The rock at the base and in the center was under the greatest stress and fell first. The load from the overlying rock and the ensuing cracking apart lessened upwards. Over time this created an arc that climbed as more rock failed and collapsed. Geology is incredible!