la ventana natural arch

Definitely worth your time to hike the short trail to this incredible Arch. Surrounding cliffs aren't bad either. Great early in the am.

We went to the ranger station to ask about what to see and he recommended the arch. It's a lot bigger than you might think. They had hiking trails available but we simply stopped to take in the natural beauty. This is not a lot further into the park and it's definitely worth your time to stop and take a look. Bring your binoculars since you will still be a good distance away from the arch but you can see much more detail with magnification.

A sight to behold, the arch is tall and impressive against the blue, blue New Mexico sky. You can imagine the Native Peoples of ancient times passing by the arch as they were traveling the area. If you listen quietly, you can still hear their gentle footsteps.

The trail leads right up to the foot of the arch. The arch is beautiful. it is a single structure. Not as great as some of the arches in Utah, but well worth a stop.

Don't miss this stop. The arch is breath-taking. Easy to walk to from the parking lot. We only spent about 20 minutes, just a quick walk to this site.

Great place to visit not far off interstate 40. Its a great place to let the kids stretch while on road trip

This natural arch is breath-taking; there are signs and information nearby about prehistoric times when dinosaurs roamed this area. There are volcanic remains in the area and a place to view the "lava waterfalls." Rocks in the area are black (on the ground). The rock formations are massive, so there is no need for high-rise buildings. There are cactii all around, but not many other attractions in the area.

beautiful view of nature's handiwork! We took the short walk to this arch and were impressed by its beauty. Lovely wildflowers along the way and lots of birds too!

I've seen better, but if you haven't seen wind arch then you should go. It is beautiful scenery and the walk is easy. You might just get to see some of the locals repelling from the top.

The La Ventana natural arch is huge and awe inspiring, but that's all there is to see there. There is good parking, restrooms, and a smoothly graveled path up to the base of the arch. To prevent damage, visitors are not allowed to get too close to the arch, so all you can do is look up at it and take photos. To make the most of the trip, plan to also stop at the ranger station to talk to the ranger, view their exhibits, and learn about other things you can do in the area.

La Ventana is the second longest arch in NM (the longest is Snake Bridge in San Juan county). There is a highway turnoff that is about a 100 yard walk to the arch. The arch can also be seen by taking a hike on the "narrows rim trail." The hike is described in the book "60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Albuquerque." It's a beautiful hike on a mesa that is 7.8 miles round trip. The El Malpais visitor center, which is about 10 miles north of the arch on highway 117, has brochures describing the hike.

The arch is beautiful and a simple walk from the highway. Truly spectacular, but not quite as dramatic as some of the arches you may see in a park such as arches in Utah, as it is a single structure. Should definitely stop on your way down to lava falls.

El Malpais National MonumentThe government shutdown continues but on this 13th day of the shutdown there are still things to do in New Mexico. In addition to the government shutdown and like all holiday activities, the Albuquerque Balloon Festival was winding down and the need for a mental diversion was at hand. A past time from childhood this daytrip from Albuquerque is just the thing for those "Shutdown Blues!" Get out of the house and get on the road-especially when accompanied by the local BMW Car Club. Located just off of I-40 Southwest of Grants, New Mexico on Highway 117 is one of those national parks which while this date is not open fully does provide excellent scenery for a day drive.New Mexico has a long and varied history with its landscape a very large part of that history. El Malpais is a minor national park location as compared to others found in New Mexico. El Malpais is Spanish for "badlands" and the sand and lime stone cliffs have recorded their share of tragedies as well as providing divergent colors and beauty. Geologically, the "badlands" set at the intersection of the Rio Grande Rift Basin and the Jemez Lineament, lets just say it is volcanic. Volcanoes often leave a reminder of their existence and so if one is into caving they will certainly be entertained here cave-spelunking the ancient lava tubes. How about ice caves? Ice Caves can be found near-by in addition to the spectacular hiking and biking above ground.The destination this day was the La Ventana Natural Arch, an natural arch eroded from the sandstone setting atop of one the bluffs. Total time for the drive from Albuquerque to the arch was about an hour and thirty minutes which included an exercise stop. During rainy days the arch is enhanced by a waterfall spewing from an opening on the wall behind the arch. Though the rains had visited recently the waterfall had ceased running. As stated previously, Park Headquarters was not open but they do offer many excellent handouts and maps that fully describe this sight seeing adventure- I highly recommend this activity while visiting Albuquerque, New Mexico.

jBeautiful short detour off of I40. Scenic drive through vast lava beds. Short walk to Arch. Ample parking and clean restrooms. Besure and take the short drive to the Sandstone overlook viewing point. You would swear you were in Hawaii.

Picturesque, worth a quick visit. Easy walk to the Arch. Nice landscape. Check with the visitor center to find out best time of day for a photo. You can't get right under the Arch (falling rock, so viewing path is a bit removed.