After crossing into New Mexico, our next planned stop on the way to Albuquerque was El Morro National Monument. We camped at a lovely peaceful little spot and were excited to go up to the monument the next day. Signs proclaimed that the visitor center opened at 9. We went there at 9. We waited until 9:15. There was no one. We could not drive up to the monument because the entrance was gated. It was very sad. Shame on you, people who run El Morro National Monument. Shame on you.
We gave the middle finger to this American treasure and continued on our way and then, out of the blue, saw a sign pointing to an off road that said “Ice Cave.” What the hell is an ice cave, we wondered, doing around here in April? Seemed like a tourist trap — but we had an itch that El Morro declined to scratch, and rolled the dice.
The site had not only an ice cave, but a volcano that, we were told, erupted about 10,000 years ago. I was quite surprised at how blackened the landscape still was from this eruption that happened a century of centuries ago.
And the rest, as they say, is in the slideshow.
The old trading station where one buys tickets to see this privately-run attraction. 
Trees twisted and blackened by the volcano still line parts of the trail up to the mouth. 
Rocks and trees. 
The trail is paved with volcanic rock. 
Some very cool lava formations. 
You can see the mounds of other volcanos nearby. 
A great valley carved by the torrent of lava which blew though this hill. 
The crater.
After hiking to the crater, it was time for the short walk down to the ice cave. The ice in the cave never thaws, apparently, even in the heat of summer.
Continuing on, we got our first taste of real New Mexican food in Grants, New Mexico. (The first on this trip, that is.) The loaded fries, green chili stew and mini sopapillas at Gabby’s Cafe all hit the spot in that spicy comfortable way. The donuts (including blueberry/blue corn) peaked our interest – but then when we ate them, they made us sad with their dry crumbliness.
