El Malpais Sandstone Bluffs EarthCache
El Malpais Sandstone Bluffs
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Located in El Malpais National Monument, The listed coordinates takes you to the top of one of the many sandstone bluffs in the area. The pullout is off of NM117 on the eastern boundary of the monument, on the west side of the road.
The coordinates will take you to the top of one the many large sandstone bluffs located within the monument’s boundaries. From this point you will have an excellent view of the McCarty’s lava field. The McCarty's Lava Flow is the youngest flow within El Malpais and is dated between 2000-3000 years old. Further west is the Chain of Craters, a string of thirty volcanoes ranging in age from 110,000 to 200,000 years old. To the northeast is Mt. Taylor, a composite volcano active about 3.5 million years ago. The sandstone beneath your feet reveals an even older history. Formed by deposits from shallow seas that periodically covered this area 63-138 million years ago, these bluffs were carved by millions of years of erosion.
Besides scenic overlooks, the sandstone bluffs serve another purpose. Many of the bluffs in El Malpais also act as Kipukas. Kipukas are undisturbed areas that lava flows encircled but did not cover. These ecological islands of vegetation are living remnants of native plant and animal communities. Study of these kipukas will yield benchmark information for restoring disturbed portions of El Malpais.
As part of the logging requirement, please read the informational sign at the above coordinates.
To Log this EarthCache:
• Carefully take and post a picture of the scenic overlook with yourself and /or GPS.
• E-mail the answer to the following: The Badlands were created by multiple volcanic eruptions spanning over how many years (answer on informational sign at the above coordinates)? Please begin your e-mail with the name of the EarthCache and make sure your log includes the number of people in your group.
The above information was compiled from the following sources: • National Park Service, 2005, El Malpais National Monument Guide, El Malpais National Monument.
Placement approved by the El Malpais National Monument Staff.
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