Heeding the time-honored call of "Go west young man," I took a trip to Grants- and to the Malpais area. I headed west on I-40 from the Big I, over Nine Mile Hill, and across the Rio Puerco into the nothingness beyond. Around 35 miles later I pulled off the interstate at the scenic overlook at Laguna, home of photographer Lee Marmon, to take some photos and gobble down some Indian Fry Bread from one of the vendors at the overlook. Having acquired a fry bread-crumb and powdered sugar goatee, I forged on.
Laguna
I drove another 30 miles or so into Grants and headed for the New Mexico Mining Museum. The museum is located on the main drag roughly in the middle of town. I poked around the displays in the museum lobby while I waited for a large group of unruly elementary school children to finish their tour. On display were Native American artifacts such as a wooden planting stick circa 1050-1200 AD (I know one archaeologist who insists that this is actually a weapon), stone ax heads, and some 1000 year old seeds. Across the room was a Brontosaurus bone about 3 feet long and 130 million years old, as well as some other dinosaur parts. Were these left behind by the Flintstone's on a picnic? Who knows? And of course, being a mining museum, there were myriads of minerals on display- including some really cool looking Vanadium, brain-like Dripstone, colorful Lepidolite, and something rather ominously called a Volcanic Bomb. A volcanic bomb (besides sounding like a potent mixed drink that, once consumed, would lead one to wake the following morning in a vast field sans underpants and with a large state-fair-prize teddy bear) is a large blob of molten lava that gets fired out of a volcano and cools into a solid mass before hitting the ground. These, of course, pose serious risks to one's health. Other types of volcanic bombs include the Breadcrust Bomb, and the hilarious Cow Dung Bomb (seriously, I'm not making it up). In a small room across the lobby that appears to be some sort of meeting room, is a separate display of old Indian pottery, some of which is 1500 years old. Once the coast was clear of marauding pint-sized sugar junkies, I entered the first part of the museum which houses a winding floor-to-ceiling timeline of the region. This timeline starts 300 million years ago with dinosaurs and geologic disturbances, and continues through early Native Americans, homesteaders, the logging industry, the coming of the railroad, farming, and ends with the uranium mining boom. Each time period is represented by various artifacts and photographs (there were no photographs of the dinosaurs, of course- their lack of thumbs hindered their photography skills). There is an optional series of videos to watch in a small theater area, which I passed up. I got in the elevator and descended into the mine part of the museum. This area is a re-creation of a modern uranium mine, complete with ventilator shafts, mining cars, and various tools.
Mine Your Own Business or Getting The Shaft
At its peak in the 1970's, mining in the Grants Mineral Belt boasted 120 mines and paid out $165 million in wages annually. My favorite item at the museum has got to be the giant drill bit outside the building. It was used to drill a 10 foot diameter shaft over 2000 feet deep. I briefly fantasized about taking this to Washington DC to drill some folks a new....well, just use your imagination.
The Massive Drill Bit
New Mexico Mining Museum Hours Mon-Sat 9 - 4 Closed Sundays and holidays Phone 800.748.2142 Admission: Ages 0-6 Free Ages 7-18 & 60+ $2 Ages 19-59 $3
From Grants I drove a few miles east to exit 89 and headed south on NM 117 to the area known as El Malpais. I stopped in at the BLM's El Mapais ranger station approximately 9 miles south of I-40 to have a look around. The ranger station is a nice facility with displays of igneous rock, various minerals, and some Native American artifacts. There is also a selection of books available for purchase, including (my favorite) a book on scatology- which you can use to identify what type of critter left that little pile you almost stepped in. Picnic tables, restrooms, and a short hiking trail are some amenities of the ranger station. From there I drove a short distance to a turnoff, then about 1 1/3 miles up a dusty winding road to the Sandstone Bluffs Overlook. The overlook is probably the most amazing sight of the Malpais region. You stand high atop the sandstone bluffs and gaze down upon an ocean of solid lava. Just for fun I was trying to picture what it must have looked like from this vantage point when it was glowing red-hot and oozing across the landscape. I think my mind painted an accurate picture- dark, smoky skies, glowing mass of molten rock, and Ray Harryhausen-esque dinosaurs moving awkwardly about in the distance.
There are tons of rocks to climb on and around, providing a great place for kids to play, so long as they stay away from the edge. I could have spent days out there as a kid, searching for life forms on the alien planet, or tracking down pirate treasure, or simply having an illicit rendezvous with Wonder Woman. Many shallow depressions in the sandstone collect rainwater, forming little pools dotting the cliffs. The Sandstone Bluffs Overlook has restrooms, picnic tables, and closes at dusk. I got back in my truck and headed past the ruins of what was likely an old homestead and back down to NM 117. I continued south for approximately 7 miles to La Ventana Natural Arch. I parked and walked for 2 or 3 minutes to a viewing area. Only two other people were there. Unfortunately, there had been some vandalism to a few sections of wooden fencing, perpetrated by, I suppose, arch-enemies. Sorry, I had to. Now I guess you could say the area is left de-fenceless (you want to kick me, don't you?). Restrooms and picnic tables are present near the parking lot.
La Ventana Natural Arch
From La Ventana I proceeded to the Narrows Picnic Ground 4 miles distant. I parked, crossed the road, then comically and without an ounce of grace, clambered over a barbed wire fence to poke around on the lava beds. One must exercise a certain amount of caution while exploring the lava beds because they can beat you up- call it basalt and battery. Sorry, I had to. Fissures 3 to 12 feet deep, and certainly wide enough for your leg, are seemingly every few steps. One such fissure claimed my lens cap. Also plentiful are large holes and depressions, some bordering on being caves. I assume that if I found a cave out here it would probably be head-first and painful. And speaking of caves, this region contains large lava tubes that, including the collapsed parts, stretch for 17 miles.
Lava Beds
According to W.C Jameson's book, New Mexico Treasure Tales, somewhere in the middle of these lava beds sits an undiscovered Spanish treasure. In 1770 a caravan of Spanish soldiers was transporting over 4000 pounds of silver ingots (cha-ching!) from what is now Colorado down to Mexico, when they were trapped by Indians. Knowing the weighty silver would greatly reduce their already slim chance of escape, the Spanish hastily buried the fortune. In the end, the maneuver was in vain, for the shrewd Native Americans had blocked all the escape routes and swiftly killed all the Spaniards. The treasure is still out there waiting to be discovered. I'll let you know if I find it.
Noting the time, I decided to head back to Albuquerque. I drove north the 22 miles or so to exit 89, but decided to forsake the interstate for Route 66. I traveled Old 66, stopping to photograph the old church at McCarty's, and then through San Fidel, which seemed to have more junk cars than residents. I drove on through Cubero, which had a couple of abandoned motels that stand as testament of the toll the interstate took on Route 66, its towns, and businesses, and then Budville, Paraje, Laguna, and Mesita. I joined up with I-40 at Mesita for the remainder of the trip. The rest of the journey was uneventful and rather boring, but in a good way.
Homestead Near Sandstone Bluffs Overlook
Church At McCarty's