Lava tube cave with an internal temperature significantly less than above-ground summertime ambient temperature, creating perennial ice
General Information
Seasonal attraction (closed in winter months)
Children (6–12): $7
Children 5 and under: Free
Seniors, Military, AAA: $1 discount
How to Get There
From Grants (15 mi): Take NM-53 south from Grants after exiting I-40 at Exit 81 and continue for about 25 miles southwest, then turn into the clearly marked entrance and follow the road to the parking area.
Overview
Bandera Volcano and the Ice Cave (Zuni Ice Cave) are on private land near El Malpais National Monument. The ice cave is a collapsed lava tube whose floor has a 20-foot-thick block of ice that stays frozen all year, tinted green by algae. A 1.5-mile round trip trail leads to the volcano crater, about 1,200 feet across, in the Chain of Craters.
Top Trails
| Trail | Length | Difficulty | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bandera Crater Trail | About 1.2 miles round trip | Moderate | Cinder cone crater with views over the lava fields |
| Ice Cave Trail | About 0.5 mile round trip | Easy to moderate | A stairway into the lava tube and the ice floor |
This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "Bandera Volcano Ice Cave", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0
Featured Trails
Inklein, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted
Bandera Volcano Trail
Difficulty: Easy
Short cinder trail leading through lava fields to the rim of a dormant volcanic crater with sweeping views of the surrounding landscape
Inklein, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted
Ice Cave Trail
Difficulty: Easy
Brief walk across ancient lava terrain descending a staircase into a lava tube cave filled with year-round ice formations
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