South Narrows Picnic Area day-use area is set just off of NM-117 and tucked against the sandstone cliffs among piñon and juniper trees. There are six covered picnic tables with fire grills available. The area also has two vault toilets. No overnight camping is allowed in the area.

The Narrows Rim Trail is located near the entrance at the south end of the picnic area. The trail takes you to the top of a 500-foot sandstone mesa where you will have scenic views of the lava beds and surrounding countryside along the way. At the end of the trail, you will have a great view of La Ventana Natural Arch. This trail is located in a designated Wilderness area and is not accessible by bicycle. The hike is approximately 8 miles round trip. Read more about the Narrows Rim hike here.

The El Malpais National Conservation Area (NCA) was established in 1987 to protect nationally significant geological, archaeological, ecological, cultural, scenic, scientific, and wilderness resources surrounding the Zuni-Bandera volcanic field. El Malpais translates to “the badlands” in Spanish.

The NCA includes dramatic sandstone cliffs, canyons, La Ventana Natural Arch, Chain of Craters Back Country Byway, Joe Skeen Campground, the Narrows Picnic Area, and the Cebolla and West Malpais Wilderness Areas. There are many opportunities for photography, hiking, camping, and wildlife viewing within this unique NCA.

For more than 10,000 years people have interacted with the El Malpais landscape. Historic and prehistoric sites provide connections to the past. More than mere artifacts, these cultural resources are kept alive by the spiritual and physical presence of contemporary Native American groups, including the Ramah Navajo and Puebloan peoples of Acoma, Laguna, and Zuni. These tribes continue their ancestral uses of El Malpais including gathering plant materials, paying respect, and renewing ties.