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 | 263,130 acres |
| National Conservation Lands id | NLCS000521 |
| Center point | 34.84° N, 108.20° W |
| 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
None of the 1 federal campground within ten miles sits inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedTank Canyon/Wildhorse Slash Pit Rx
26 mi from the center point · 1 acre
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.
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.
Guidebooks for New Mexico
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is El Malpais National Conservation Area?
263,130 acres.
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?
Rules vary by unit. The BLM page has the current camping rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to El Malpais National Conservation Area?
A point inside the boundary is at 34.844° N, 108.201° W. El Malpais National Monument is 1 mile away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Bureau of Land Management
Is there a fire near El Malpais National Conservation Area right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Tank Canyon/Wildhorse Slash Pit Rx at 26 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
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?
The National Register has 4 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 and territories: computed by intersecting the boundary with Census state polygons and coarse outlines of the territories and outlying islands. A place is listed when it holds at least one percent of the area. A boundary that touches no outline is listed under the nearest one.
- 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.