Valley of Fires Recreation Area

Overview

Valley of Fires recreation area is located immediately adjacent to the Malpais Lava Flow. Approximately 5,000 years ago, Little Black Peak erupted and flowed 44 miles into the Tularosa Basin, filling the basin with molten rock. The resulting lava flow is four to six miles wide, 160 feet thick and covers 125 square miles. The lava flow is considered to be one of the youngest lava flows in the continental United States. From a distance, Valley of Fires appears as barren rock but when you walk through the nature trail there are many varieties of flowers, cactus, trees and bushes typical of the Chihuahuan desert. Animals include bats, roadrunners, quail, cottontails, mule deer, barbary sheep, and lizards. It's also a virtual birdwatcher's paradise with great horned owls, burrowing owls, turkey vultures, hawks, gnat catchers, cactus wrens, sparrows and golden eagles.

The Bureau of Land Management maintains and manages the Valley of Fires Recreation area, which is located four miles west of Carrizozo, NM, on US Highway 380. Valley of Fires offers both camping and day use. 20 of the campsites have 30 and 50 amp electrical hookups and water hookups, all sites have picnic shelters, tables, trashcans and barbeque grills. Two of the RV sites are accessible, as are the restrooms. Showers are provided in the main restroom/shower house. An RV dump station is also available. Two group shelters are accessible and available for rental. The 3/4 mile Malpais Nature Trail offers a close-up look of the lava surface.

Carrizozo Land Partnership

**The Carrizozo Land Partnership vehicle pass page is temporarily unavailable and the Roswell Field Office is currently unable to issue vehicle passes to cross private lands while collection policies for personal identifiable information are updated. All other open BLM lands remain accessible during this time. For more information please contact the Roswell Field Office at 575-627-0272.**

The Carrizozo Land Partnership (CLP) provides access to recreators wishing to enter public lands managed by the BLM, between the Carrizozo Lava Flow and the White Sands Missile Range which can only be reached by crossing private land. The CLP, a partnership between the BLM, private land owners and ranchers of this area, has arranged for public access to BLM lands in this area by a vehicle pass process.

Once on the BLM lands in the area, the public is allowed to hunt, camp, hike, observe wildlife and other appropriate recreational activities. This partnership provides access to many miles of roads and thousands of acres of public lands for recreational enjoyment.

Terrain is from flat to rolling, with some bluffy/hilly country overlooking the lava flows. High desert plant species inhabit this area, ranging from desert shrubs, multiple varieties of cactus and cedar/juniper trees.

Accessibility Description (ABA/ADA)

Click on the image above to view more photos of accessibility features at this site.

This campground features a ¾-mile paved Malpais Nature Trail with interpretive displays; the trail leads the visitor from the group shelter through the lava flow and back to the group shelter. Some of the interpretive signs have 3-D tactile elements, including lava rocks and sculptures of bats and lizards, with additional features coming that will be useful for visitors who have vision impairments or are neurodivergent.

The visitor center, which is staffed by volunteers on the weekends, has 1 accessible parking space and 1 accessible toilet. There are 4 other accessible vault toilets and several easy-push water spigots distributed throughout the campground; accessible showers (2 for men and 2 for women) and flush toilets are located down the road from the visitor center. There are also 2 accessible group shelters—one at the beginning of the nature trail and the other at the far end of the campground near the tent sites—and 2 accessible campsites. Refer to the brochure for placement of these sites in the campground.

The group shelters each have 1 accessible parking spot; a concrete pad; an accessible picnic table; and a water hydrant with easy push-down design. Group Shelter 1 has 110 volt 30- and 50-amp electrical plug-ins.

The 2 accessible campsites are campsite 4, which is close to the entrance, visitor center, and one of the accessible vault toilets; and campsite 12, which is farther into the campground, near the overview parking lot. Both campsites have an accessible parking spot; concrete pad; accessible picnic table; 50-amp electrical plug-ins; and grills/fire pits. Campsite 12 is reservable via recreation.gov and campsite 4 is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Service animals, like other animals, must be kept on a leash, to keep them safe from the wildlife, cactus, and sharp lava rocks.

Descriptions and photos uploaded September 2023. Please note that actual on-the-ground conditions may vary due to natural events (e.g., weather, wildfires, erosion), normal wear and tear, or site improvements.

Know Before You Go

Fees

Day Use - one person in vehicle, $3.

Day Use - two or more in vehicles, $5.

Tent Camping - $7.

RV Camping (13 sites)
- with water & electric (sites 2-13 and 15), $18.
- without water & electric (sites1, 14, 16-19), $12.
- dump fee - $15.
Group Shelter - group use, $25.

Tour Bus - 15 or more persons on board, $15.

Facilities

Visitor Center
- Set hours TBD.
The bookstore and gift shop offers information on the recreation area, wildlife and other nearby activities.

Camping - each camp site features picnic shelter and picnic tables, tent pads (tent camping area), pedestal grills, campfire rings (most sites) as well as a trash can.

Tent camping, each campsite and the group shelter are equipped with picnic shelter and picnic table(s) for the public's enjoyment.

RV camping (both full-service and primitive camp sites).

There is a shower house with flush toilets centrally located within the campground. Showers are included in the camping fee, or non-campers can pay a fee of $6. There are also accessible vault toilets and water spigots scattered throughout the recreation area.

The Malpais Nature trail offers a unique experience of getting trail users out into the lava. The trail is paved and accessible. The on-site dump station charge is included in camping fees, or it can be used by non-campers for a $15 fee.

Nearby Amenities

This nearest location to acquire food and gas is four miles away in Carrizozo.

Other nearby fee areas include campgrounds in the Lincoln National Forest, and the BLM Rob Jaggers Campground. There are numerous private RV campgrounds in the area as well.