El Malpais (pronounced el mal py ees) means bad land. Everywhere in the area, roadsides, fields, in town, people’s yards, is evidence of this unfriendly looking lava rock. After learning that this rim of volcanoes spewed the stuff  about a  million years ago, we were not sure what to expect in a National Monument that has seen fit to protect an area with lava so sharp and jagged, it will cut your boots to ribbons if you hike on it for any distance.

Beauty is everywhere and our first stop was the Sand Bluffs. You can see the patches of black lava in the distance so thick, plants haven’t been able to grow in it.

Since rock climbing and taking pictures is one of our favorite things to do, we thoroughly enjoyed the beauty of the Sand Bluffs, said to have been underwater 138 million years ago. Kind of tough to wrap your mind around that many years past.

We climbed all over the rocks, taking pictures and meeting one view after another.



Little catch basins everywhere gave evidence of how the rocks hold water for birds and wildlife. All were dry at this time of year

In a crevice, a stunted pine has found enough nutrients to hang on to life.

We climbed all over the bluffs for a couple of hours.



In another section of the conservation area is second ridge of cliffs that have a beautiful arch. We drove over to see it.

The scenic drive showed multiple layers of rock of different types, making for a colorful show.











We hiked the short distance in to the arch on this beautiful day. It’s a beauty.

Other beauties revealed themselves on the walk.



A rock so beautifully colored, you don’t believe your eyes.

The bright green of new growth on a young pine.

I spotted a second arch nearby. Not as beautiful as El Ventana, which is Spanish for window.

At the Lava Narrows, we got a close look at the lava, but it is pretty boring stuff after the gorgeous scenery we passed to get there. It has a shady picnic area and we stopped for some refreshments before returning to the Motor Home. There is no camping here, but visitors can  hike into the canyons and ridges and most likely find lovely spots that drive-in visitors like us missed. It was a lovely day.

RED ROCK CANYON

Red Rock Canyon lies twenty miles west of Las Vegas. You drive through gray desert and suddenly this huge outcropping pops out of the desert floor. Its on BLM land and is preserved for all to enjoy. The way to see it best is stop at the visitors center first. Great paintings and a video of wild life, wild flowers shows and critters run on a continuous loop. You pay seven dollars a car load to get into the gate. Its a thirteen mile drive with many pullouts for photo opportunities and entrances to marked hiking trails. People come here to hike, bike, ride horses and rock climb. The other alternative is to take a Fifty-nine dollar tour bus into the site.

The first area, called calico, we hiked a bit. I have to be careful because my right arm is in a sling and I can't take a chance on falling. We enjoyed watching the climbers practice on an easy perpendicular wall.

Jim enjoys taking photos and he is very good at it. Here the rocks look like pudding has puddled into great flat pancakes.

Well, maybe that isn't such a good shot of the pancakes.

Just add syrup.

The colors are incredible. One moment you are looking at white or beige and immediately next to it is deep red rock.

It appears as though a giant paint brush swabbed on the red.

The drive takes you on a loop that rises to 4,447 feet where other formations appear.
 
 We only spent a couple hours here, but I could easily have spent the whole day and hiked in to some of the interesting canyon sights, like petroglyphs.

 

When I spotted this rock from a distance, I thought it was petroglyphs, but it wasn't. The natural coloring is interesting even so.

The textures etched by sand and wind; the plants that survive severe climate, amaze.
This land is occupied by a host of animals, most likely visible by chance when hiking in the wilderness. And, wild burros are common here, though obviously not native. Signs on the road warn you to watch for burros crossing. The visitor center warns you not to feed them and how to avoid encounters with them.

The day was windy and cold. We strained to see mountain goats where grazing plants were obvious.

The sky was a stunning blue, the rocks will stand for centuries, and we can return another day.