Join Dr. John Walton for a fascinating walk around the lava fields near Aden Crater. The legend is that “many moons ago a monster walked the surface of the earth. When passing near us the monster left a large right footprint in the lava fields near Aden Crater.” The hike will take you to the “toes” of the footprint. You will pass large, and potentially dangerous, deep fissures that formed when the lava cooled. The “knuckles in the toes” are nearly circular areas where lava collapsed near the edges and gaps in the lava field. Some of them have trees growing in the middle.

This is about a 4-5 miles round trip mostly over lava with no trail.  Walking on lava can be difficult (rough uneven surface, crevasses) and presents a significant risk of injury. You are responsible for making sure you are sufficiently  physically fit to walk on this terrain and willing to take the risks. You will travel as a group to preclude anyone getting lost. Most dogs cannot handle walking on the lava as sometimes they have to jump over open chasms and the surface is rough on pads. They are not recommended but allowed.

Meet at the new Love’s Truck Stop in Santa Teresa near the intersection of Artcraft (136) and Airport Road. (MAP) Then drive together from there. High clearance vehicles recommended. The “footprint” is approximately 2 miles East of Aden Crater, check it out on Google Earth.

For more information: John Walton, Walton@utep.edu