northwest new mexico visitor center

This is my favorite spot to stop along I-40 in western New Mexico. Very clean bathrooms, which never seem crowded. Also they have lots of brochures about what to do in the state. They have a small bookstore, typical of a national park. This would make a great picnic spot. They are open daily from about 9-5.

We stopped in Grants for 2 nights and ended up staying 4 because we found so much to do within an hour's drive...in large part thanks to the knowledgeable folks at the Visitor's Center. It was terrifically hot, so at their suggestion we did our hiking and exploring in the morning, had a late lunch, then spent the hottest part of the day enjoying "DVD on demand" in their theater. They have 30 documentaries to choose from, and it was a great way to beat the heat.It was also nice to just relax awhile looking out the window at the High Desert landscape...and the prairie dogs. A highly recommended stop!

It was great to see three Federal agencies working together to give information to the public about the properties in the area. The staff was very helpful and knowledgeable. We found a stop there was very useful in our travels and exploration of the area.

Can get national park and commercial information. Also good displays and maps of regions plus a ranger able to give independent advice

Probably one of the best visitors centers I've seen. Really welcoming ranger to explain some of the area with great recommendations for elements of our trip. Nice freebie goodies for the kiddo and some videos available to watch (we didn't have time).

What a find! Terrific stop for info about the Malpais and other lessor known parts of New Mexico. Staff was extremely helpful in getting us to Pueblo Pintado and Crownpoint. As the facility is relatively new, the bathrooms are modern and clean. It is located far enough off the highway that there is peace and quiet. We have made the NW New Mexico Visitor Center a regular stop on our New Mexico trips.

Just off Hwy. 40, before Gallup (when heading West from Albuquerque), this center provides local maps and guidance to best nearby attractions/sites, and refreshingly ample parking and clean restrooms for travelers. NOTE: dog walkers be aware of posted rattlesnake warnings...they're serious!

Visited the centre in August 2013. The staff was very friendly and helpful and gave us great tips in helping us plan our trip. The ablution facilities were nice and clean. Do not pass by.

Our annual trip to the desert SW, including New Mexico and Arizona, doesn't really begin until we visit this beautiful Visitor Center! It's a perfect place to rest and have lunch if you've been on the road for awhile, and the museum, gift shop, informational resources and staff are exceptional. The views out into the gorgeous terrain surrounding Grants is breathtaking. Our trip would never be the same without this amazing center! Amy G and Family, Castle Rock, CO

The Visitor Center offers an excellent overview of the archaeology, geology, geography, history, and culture of this area of New Mexico.The brochures, books, children's activities, films, etc. are informative and well done. The staff is helpful and friendly.

A must stop if your not sure what to do and see in NM. They have a lot of information and the people who work there are so freindly and helpful. The coffee is FREE and tastes grrreat!

The staff at the visitors center were very helpful and friendly, love the view!

This is the visitor center for El Malpais National Monument, right near Interstate 40 in Grants, NM.We stopped here based on reviews stating a clean restroom (which it was) as we needed a pit stop on our drive to CA. The day we stopped was very cold & windy so we planned to stop again on our way back home later that week when the weather was to be nice & 70 degrees.The park ranger was friendly and nice but when she found out we only wanted to stop by on our way home for a quick visit - she tried to convince us to stay longer & how great their national monument was. I told her that we'd love to see the lava field like you can see along I-40 but won't have a lot of time due to our drive home and won't be able to do a lot of hiking, etc. And I told her that based on reviews I read, the trail heads were several miles south of I-40. She quoted me shorter distances and said as soon as you entered the trail you would be in the newer, darker lava field with no shrubs or grass growing - the lava at the Center had lots of grass and shrubs growing on it which made the lava itself harder to see. We thought this sounded perfect! Just what we wanted! When we stopped at El Malpais on our way back to hike the beginning portion of Zuni-Acoma Tail off highway 117 where she showed us on the map she gave us, we soon realized that she was not truthful with us and just told us what we wanted to hear.The trail head WAS several miles south of Interstate 40 & the there was NO lava at the beginning of the trail - just a sandy trail through a cow grazing area full of lots of SHRUBS!We were very, very, very disappointed with her misleading us! We had to hike a long way along the trail before we saw some lava to the left of us which the trail did not lead to. For pictures, see my tripadvisor review on El Malpais National Monument.We were not pleased that she was dishonest with us and mislead us. If we knew it was like this, we would have avoided the trail altogether & just enjoyed the massive lava rocks along Interstate 40.

This visitor center is filled with materials that you can take concerning things to do and see in the area. Towards the back, there is a museum that the family will enjoy. There is also an indoor theater with a list of the videos that are available. You can choose the one you want to see and the attendant will put it on for you. The kids really enjoyed the activity sheets that were available for them to pick up if they wanted to. Some were to color, others were dot to dot and others were mazes.This is definitely the place to go first if you are going to be spending some time in the Grants area.

Leider liegt das Besucherzentrum ein wenig abgelegen, so dass dort nicht viel los ist. Dies ist allerdings schade, da es eine wunderbare und umfangreiche Ausstellung über die Gegend und New Mexiko hat. Die Ranger dort sind sehr freundlich und nehmen sich viel Zeit einem alles zu erklären und geben Tipps für die Gestaltung des Aufenthalts.Es gibt auch ein großes „Kino“. Wir waren die einzigen Besucher und konnten uns somit einen Film aus einer reichhaltigen Sammlung aussuchen.