This adventure was very enjoyable with three main areas to explore. The road signs to arrive couldn't be more easy to follow as billboards seem to be placed every few miles advertising this attraction for 50 or more miles away. This is a privately owned area featuring an ice cave, a self guided tour of a volcano, and a gift shop a water tour outside in which to sift gems out of a sand bag you can purchase. This was definitely a unique stop with about 1-2 hours worth of entertainment. The one thing we didn't like about this area was the price, with each adult being $12 and children 6-12 years old being $6 per day.
After making the 28 mile drive west of Grants, the first place to stop at would be the gift shop where you can pay the admission fee and thus get the paper to read during the self guided tour. You then have the option to walk to the volcano or to the ice cave first.
For those wishing to begin with the volcano, the trail starts behind the gift shop building. From beginning to end (at a nice lookout area) is about one half of a mile long in one direction with a climb of about 150 feet. We didn't realize it until about halfway up the hike, but along the trail are numbered trail markers. At each of these stops you can match up the number to a paragraph on the self guided trail guide paper. Here we learned much about the history of the volcanoes of El Malpais. We learned how they were formed, how far away the lava flowed away from the Bandera Volcano, and other details such as about the local flora and fauna. I would consider this hike easy if traveled at a reasonable pace. I wouldn't call it handicap accessible, but I'm sure several have successfully made the climb. The trail is well maintained and the views are terrific.
Upon traveling back down to the store, head left of the store (if you are facing the store) to enter the trail head for the ice caves.This path is mostly level and is only about 400 yards before you get to a staircase which you must descend to see the ice cave. At one point in the descent, you will feel an almost immediate temperature decrease. At the platform at the bottom of the stairs, the ambient temperature in the cave is about 31 degrees F. Tempting as it may be, you are not allowed to climb past the platform to stand on the ice. The ice is currently about 20 feet thick and it has been forming for at least 3,400 years consistently. As the temperature is low inside the cave, it may be wise to bring a light jacket or, alternatively, go down after having completed the volcano hike on a hot New Mexico summer day.
The final noteworthy detail of this stop was the water tour constantly pouring water through the day. You can purchase a sand bag with gems in the store then come outside and act like a miner sifting through dirt near a river. A case allows you to compare your gems to a sample so you can know exactly which stones you found. This may create a memorable experience for children!
Overall, we had a great hour at the ice cave and volcano. I loved reading about the sink holes, twisted tree formation, and other special features of the geography and biology of the area. Their website, www.icecaves.com/ has other details about the family history of the owners and a detailed FAQ section. As it is only about 90 miles away from Albuquerque, it is a great day trip for just about anyone! If you've made this stop and have great stories or details you'd love to share, please post them in the comments below!!
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