A week ago I had the privilege of attending a talk given by Stephen Ausherman, the author of 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Albuquerque. During the talk he mentioned that many of book’s hikes are not on established hiking trails but are rather places to wander and explore. In short, his book is loaded with ideas for places to wander.

One of the hikes he described in his talk was in the Sandstone Bluffs area of El Malpais National Monument in New Mexico. El Malpais is west of Albuquerque and is an area with dramatic lava flows. The Sandstone Bluffs are on the edge of the lava flow and provide a great place to get above the flows so you can look across them. Some of the flows are over twenty miles long. The view is very impressive and for many people that is enough.

But if you wander away from the parking area, there is an amazing world to explore. Those who make it to the base of the bluffs and walk along them can find natural arches, places to scramble, Native American rock art and much more. If you explore some more, you’ll find several archaeology sites. The general area is rich in archaeological sites, but you’ll have to look for them. They all require some hiking.

I decided to follow Steve’s advice and went out to the Sandstone Bluffs area to wander. You can find more information on how to get there on page 322 of the Second Edition of his book. His description of the area provides a framework for getting around. Where you go, how much time you spend, and what you see is up to you.

When we reached the parking area, there were several families enjoying the view and playing hide and seek in the rocks on top of the bluff. We were the only ones venturing to the base of the bluffs. Getting to the bottom required navigating a break in the bluff, but once we were on the bottom the walking became easier.

If you want to reach the base from the parking area, you’ll have to navigate through this break. Continue Reading →