West Malpais Wilderness
El Malpais is Spanish for "the badlands," a name that perfectly describes this region of New Mexico, where countless volcanic eruptions sent rivers of molten rock and flying cinders over what is now a bleak valley of three million years' worth of hardened lava. Native American settlers probably witnessed the last of the eruptions. Their former home is now a land of craters and lava tubes, cinder cones and spatter cones, ice caves and pressure ridges, and a surprising amount of vegetation. Even on terrain that one would presume to be barren, wind-deposited debris has thickened enough to support grasses, cacti, aspen, pine, juniper, and fir.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | Bureau of Land Management |
| State | New Mexico |
| Size | 39,540 acres |
| Designated | 1987, by Congress |
| Center point | 34.80° N, 108.10° W |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 23) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees
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
No federal campground is within ten miles of the boundary in the Campsite Atlas index. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from trails and water, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit and group-size rules.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedTank Canyon/Wildhorse Slash Pit Rx
20 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
Guidebooks for New Mexico
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is West Malpais Wilderness?
39,540 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages West Malpais Wilderness?
The Bureau of Land Management.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is West Malpais Wilderness in?
New Mexico.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was West Malpais Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1987.
Source: Wilderness Connect
How do I get to West Malpais Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 34.804° N, 108.100° W. El Malpais National Monument is 1 mile away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near West Malpais Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Tank Canyon/Wildhorse Slash Pit Rx at 20 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Which national parks are near West Malpais Wilderness?
El Malpais National Monument (1 mi) and El Morro National Monument (15 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- 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.