New Mexico’s Land Of Fire And Ice Is A Marvel You Have To See To Believe
The Land of Fire and Ice is a family-run attraction in New Mexico that combines two impressive and contrasting natural wonders. The first marvel is an 800-foot deep crater left behind when the Bandera Volcano erupted. The second is a natural ice cave where the temperature never exceeds 31 degrees Fahrenheit. These two wonders are within a brief walk of each other, providing visitors with a truly unique experience.
Your first stop is the trading post, which is the jumping off point for both trails. In addition to selling items from local Native American tribes, historic artifacts are also on display here. Some of these were discovered lodged in the lava and are up to 1200 years old!
From the trading post, head to the Bandera View Point first. It makes sense to see the attractions in this order because the trail to the volcano is longer and you can cool off in the ice cave afterwards.
Wear comfortable shoes and bring water for this portion of your visit. The walk takes roughly twenty minutes and is uphill. If you find yourself puffing and panting, claim that it’s due to the elevation, which is 8122 feet at the overlook!
The crater’s dimensions are impressive. For starters, it’s 800 feet deep. That can be hard to envision but, for the sake of perspective, it’s approximately the same depth as floor of the Rio Grande Gorge below the bridge.
The crater is also 1400 feet in diameter. So it’s not quite as wide as Elephant Butte Dam (which measures 1674 feet across).
After you return to the trading post, take the short trail in the opposite direction to view the ice cave. This only takes a few minutes, but the walk concludes in some steep steps that take you into the cave (technically a collapsed lava tube).
