El Malpais National Monument, containing more than 100,000 acres of wilderness, appears to be a conservation area that has been promoted to Monument status. El Malpais means 'Badlands', but I didn't find this large patch of broken volcanic ground at all foreboding.

My side-trip into El Malpais was brief and the only spot I hit was the Bandera Crater tourist trap where you pay to hike up for a view of Bandera Crater and then in the other direction to an ice cave.

The half-mile hike up to Bandera Crater was peaceful and ... (more)