Chain of Craters Backcountry Byway

Trail Overview

The trail travels along the south and west boundaries of the El Malpais National Monument and surrounding BLM land. The trail begins in a wide-open plain with desert scrub largely used for cattle grazing before passing into a desert forest, passing numerous volcanic cinder cones with side trails. The trail occasionally passes nearby lava flows which are more numerous in the El Malpais National Monument and BLM wilderness. Most of the land to the right side of the trail (north and east) is BLM wilderness closed to mechanized travel.

Photos of Chain of Craters Backcountry Byway

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Difficulty

The trail is mostly flat and well-graded with occasional rocky sections with small 1- to 3-inch rocks. Sections of the trail would likely be rutted and potentially impassable when wet due to mud.

Technical Rating