Valley of Fires EarthCache
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The Valley of Fires is located on US Highway 380--4 miles west of Carrizzo, NM. A day use fee of $3. is required. There is parking, paved access, shelters, grills & restrooms. The site is wheelchair accessible. Tent & RV camping are permitted.
In this EarthCache you will view an extensive lava flow. The Cache follows a well maintained paved nature trail which winds for about three quarters of a mile around a fantastic variation of volcanic rock forms.
About 5,000 years ago, Little Back Peak erupted spewing lava propelled by immeasurable force. Lava flowed south into the Tularosa Basin, filling the valley with molten rock called magma. This area is now called the Valley of Fires Recreation Area.
Magma is a mushy liquid composed of a mixture of melted minerals and mineral crystals. During a volcanic eruption, magma is forced through a weak fissure -- a crack or vent in the surface crust. Material that solidifies and cools after it reaches the surface is extrusive igneous rock. All lavas are extrusive igneous rock.
The Malpais Lava Flow is an alien landscape created from lava flow which spewed from vents in the valley floor 1,000 to 1,500 years ago. It is one of the youngest flows in the continental U.S. The lava flowed south down the Tularosa Valley, burying everything in its path except the older sand-stone hills called kipukas. The flow is 2 to 5 miles wide and 44 miles long. The lava is 165 feet thick at its thickest point and has a surface area of 127 square miles. The lava is an olivine basalt, similar to the Hawaiian flows. The word, malpais, is Spanish for "bad land".
Prehistoric people found shelter in the rocks of the Malpais. They left petroglyphs in the rock surfaces along the edges of the lava flow. Hawaiian terms for lava flows have been universally adopted. Basaltic lava containing low amounts of gas moves slowly and forms flows that are many feet thick. When the lava cools and splits apart, the surfaces of these flows become a rough, jumbled mass of broken, angular blocks and clinkers. The Hawaiian name for this type of lava flow is aa (pronouced AH-ah). Basaltic lava that contains greater amounts of gas is thinner and flows more quickly. Its surface quickly cools and retains a wrinkled or ropy-looking surface appearance. This type of lava is called Pahoehoe (Pah-HOE-ee-hoe-ee).
Sometimes flowing basaltic lava going down a moderate slope becomes confined into a channel. If that channel cools slightly and becomes roofed over, the resultant lava tube may continue to conduct molten lava and extend downhill for miles. These drained, cooled tubes are called lava tubes or lava caves. Pressure ridges can form as a seimi-rigid lava surface is squeezed as its interior remains more fluid and flexible. Cracks often appear on the peaks of ridge formations, and lava and steam may issue secondarily from them. Over time, lava fields undergo progressive changes. Wind and water wear down the volcanic rock, starting with the softer materials. Streams with a steep gradient can sometimes cut through a lava pile. Heating and cooling by sun and seasonal changes further expand and contract the lava masses, aiding in their breakup. These processes move very slowly.
Eventually plants are reestablished in the nutrient-rich volcanic soil. Insects, birds, and other animal life return. This area contains a variety of plant and animal life which has uniquely adapted to the harsh evironment.
At N33*40.948
W105*55425 look for a branch in the trail--bear right to N33*41.025
W105*55.385--here is a large volcanic formation--walk off the trail to the right where it's flat. Look for a large fissure which divides the formation. Question #1--Describe the interior of the fissure compared to the outside of the fissure.
N33*41.102 W105*55.437 --Notice the cave opening. Question #2 What direction did the lava next to the cave opening flow?
N33*41.060
W105*55.522 You should see marker #9--Question #3 What is the name of this type of unusual surface texture?
N33*41.001 W105*55.541 Question #4--What caused this particular lava formation? What animal is this formation a habitat of?
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