The El Malapais National Monument is located a short distance west of Albuquerque New Mexico.  El Malapais means "badlands" in Spanish.  For info on the trip planning, including links to web sites, go to this page.  We hiked the 7-mile Zuni-Acoma trail across the badlands, a truly grueling hike!  I'm not sure that I can recommend it.  We also hikes several other trails and visited the big tubes area, very cool! 

We camped in a field a short distance from "The Narrows Picnic Area."  Very cool spot!

On the Zuni-Acoma Trail...there was a lot of loose rock and it hard on our boots and ankles.

          <- had to follow these posts

          <- Or follow these piles of rock

La Ventana Arch on the east side of the park

We hiked along the Narrows Trail to an overlook that could see the arch off in the distance.  This trail went from our campsite to the overlook.  I personally didn't make it as far as the overlook since it got dark and I had forgotten a flashlight, but I enjoyed the view from the trail!  Here are some pics.

          <- lens flare, but a good shot of the Zuni-Acoma trail (see above)

Trail from the Sandstone Bluffs Overlook

In the big tubes area on the west end of the park

          <- This guy was patient and let us get close to snap shots of him

     <- That's me on the arch, you'll have to look closely.

<- Looking up from inside the Four Windows Cave

     <- Uh, it's not easy focusing a camera in the dark...by the way...its like 80 degrees up top but there is ice in the cave all year round, only about 30 feet down!

We finished the trip with a quick dash over to El Morro to spend the night before heading home.  This is where people have come for water for hundreds of years, and they have inscribed little notes into the rock.

More Pics at David Schultz's web page.