Grants Interstate 40 Lava

On the way back from Albuquerque yesterday, as I was approaching Grants, I took a couple of quick snapshots of the lava alongside of Interstate 40.

I had mentioned that the area around Grants, New Mexico was once volcanic. Mount Taylor, near Grants, was once an active volcano.

According to Wilipedia:

Mount Taylor is a dormant stratovolcano in northwest New Mexico, northeast of the town of Grants. It is the high point of the San Mateo Mountains and the highest point in the Cibola National Forest. It was named in 1849 for then president Zachary Taylor.

Here's the photos:

KOA Kampground Lava

Above, the 2021 KOA directory. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

While en route to Albuquerque this morning, I stopped at the KOA Kampground in Grants, New Mexico to pick up the 2021 campground directory.

KOA usually sends them out to members (generally in March), but they didn't this year. They didn't send them out in 2019 either, claiming it was a cost-cutting measure. Then they sent them out last year.

Go figure.

The Grants KOA Kampground is an interesting place. It sits on an ancient lava field. The area was once volcanic (part of the El Malpais lava flow).

Above, a wall of hardened lava at the Grants KOA Kampground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

While driving through the Grants area, one can see acres of hardened lava on both sides of Interstate 40. The only time I've seen anything comparable was while driving from Kona Airport in Hawaii.

I was in and out with the campground directory in no time. I did take a quick photo of some of the lava a the campground before leaving. 

Grants, New Mexico Lava Fields

Above, pahoehoe lava flow in El Malpais National Monument. USGS photo.

When driving on Interstate 40 through Grants, New Mexico, one will see along both sides of the highway lava fields.

The area, part of the Colorado Plateau, was an active volcanic one. The El Malpais National Monument is near Grants and offers views of volcanic lava flows.

According to Wikipedia:

El Malpais National Monument is a National Monument located in western New Mexico, in the Southwestern United States. The name El Malpais is from the Spanish term Malpaís, meaning badlands, due to the extremely barren and dramatic volcanic field that covers much of the park's area.

Grants is about 47 miles east of where I live in Jamestown, New Mexico. This probably explains why I have some lava rocks on my property.

RV Travel posted an article about the lava tubes.

They begin with:

A fun and informative stop on our recent travels was the lava fields in Grants, New Mexico. The huge rocks and slabs of lava that oozed out and blew out of volcanoes 3,000 – 5,000 years ago surround the interstate.

We stopped for the night at the local KOA and, although the campground was not much different than any small town overnight-only spot, they were situated on a lava field. The park had carved out an amazing trail through the lava. Informative signs dotted the trail and we thoroughly enjoyed our hike and learning more about the volcanoes that formed the area.

If Grants holds its Wild West Days Rodeo this summer (or maybe sooner), I will see about staying at the KOA and check out its lava trail.

To read more, go here.