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Chain of Craters Backcountry Byway — Chain of Craters Backcountry Byway
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Nat'l Recreation Area
Nat'l Recreation Area

Chain of Craters Backcountry Byway

New Mexico · NM

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Managed by Bureau of Land Management

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We display cached information from agency feeds. Hours, fees, permits, closures, fire restrictions, and conditions change without notice. Outdoors is not the permitting authority. Confirm current conditions for this park using the links above before you go — you are responsible for compliance. Last verified by us: May 20, 2026. Our copy is more than a month old — please reconfirm with the agency before relying on it.Spot an error in our data?

About

Imported description
The Chain of Craters Backcountry Byway is a 33-mile backcountry byway located in El Malpais National Conservation Area (NCA) and National Monument in northwestern New Mexico. The byway, which is County Road 42, passes almost exclusively through public lands. County Road 42 forms the western boundary of the West Malpais Wilderness and connects NM 53 and NM 117. For information regarding what you will see or the public lands you will have access to along the byway, see BLM's El Malpais NCA recreation website.

Source: recreation.gov

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Hunting in this park

This park overlaps hunting units

During hunting seasons, wear blaze orange and check regulations — see the New Mexico hunting page

Within ~100 miles

Parks near Chain of Craters Backcountry Byway

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El Malpais Wilderness Study Area

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El Malpais National Monument
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El Malpais National Monument

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West Malpais Wilderness Area

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Chain of Craters Wilderness Study Area

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El Morro National Monument
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El Morro National Monument

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El Malpais National Conservation Area
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El Malpais National Conservation Area

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