New Mexico · National Monument trail

Lava Falls Trail Stop #4

in New Mexico · centroid 79 mi from Albuquerque

Lava Fall Most lava is liquid during a Hawaiian-style volcanic eruption. Since liquid follows the path of least resistance--which is typically downhill--you are standing slightly downhill from McCartys Crater. Like any liquid, melted lava rock flows in different ways.

Lava’s temperature, speed, the volume of lava flowing, and the shape of the surrounding landscape all impact how flowing lava moves. In the case of Lava Falls, a small “fall” of lava was created as one lava flow slowly dripped over the edge of a previous flow. Unlike water, lava can flow over itself if previous lava flows have cooled.

The hot lava may or may not melt the cooled rock beneath it, and this unpredictability creates countless lava features. Where else besides this lava fall can you see where lava flowed over, under, and around other flows?

States: New Mexico
Trail type: National Monument trail
Centroid nearest city: Albuquerque, NM · 79 mi · ~2.3 hr drive
Centroid coords: 34.7386°, -107.9780°

About El Malpais National Monument

National Monument

This trail is inside El Malpais National Monument, a national monument managed by the U.S. National Park Service. Conditions, road status, trail closures, and reservation requirements are published on the park's NPS page — check it before driving in, especially in winter or during major weather events.

Official NPS trail page: https://www.nps.gov/places/lafa_stop4.htm

Park homepage: https://www.nps.gov/elma/index.htm

Plan your hike

Practical notes

Maps + permits: long-distance trails like this often require permits for through-hiking, backcountry camping, or specific sections (especially in National Parks). Check with the maintaining organisation listed above and the relevant land manager before booking travel.

Water + supplies: water sources vary seasonally on most U.S. trails. Carry a filter and consult current trail-condition reports — through-hiker journals (PCT-L, AT Reddit, etc.) and the maintaining organisation publish regular updates.

When to go: hiking seasons vary widely with elevation, latitude, and snowpack. Through-hikers traditionally start the AT in March-April (Springer northbound) and the PCT in late April (Campo northbound). High-elevation western trails (CDT, JMT, Wonderland) generally aren't passable until July.

If you've hiked Lava Falls Trail Stop #4 and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.

Stay nearby

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Driving in? The nearest documented metro is Albuquerque, NM — 79 miles away (~2.3 hr drive). See accommodation in Albuquerque on Booking.com → RoamFound earns a small commission if you book through this link, at no extra cost to you. How we handle affiliate links.