NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – El Malpais National Monument park rangers will be giving guided hikes to see bats emerge from the bat cave at El Calderon. The two-mile trip is expected to take about 45 minutes starting at sunset. Each start time will vary from week to week as the sunset time changes. Please visit the El Malpais website, Facebook, or call 505-876-2783 to check specific hike start times each week.
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The program starts on June 7 and runs through August 31. All the bat programs meet at the El Calderon Parking Area off NM Highway 53, about 20 miles south of Grants.
Dates of guided hikes:
June 7
June 14
June 21 & 22
June 28 & 29
July 5 & 6
July 12 & 13
July 19 & 20
July 26 & 27
August 2 & 3
August 9 & 10
August 16 & 17
August 23 & 24
August 30 & 31
According to the El Malpais National Monument website, people should know the following before they head out.
Know Before You Go
Bring a flashlight, ideally stronger than a cell phone, for the hike back to the parking lot.
Check the weather forecast. Late summer is in the middle of the monsoon season, and thunderstorms may pop up as the day goes by. Don’t risk getting struck by lightning!
Bring warm clothes. At 7,000 ft elevation, it gets chilly after the sun sets!
Leave your pet at home. Dog barks are disorienting to bats.
The peak season for outflight numbers hovers around the first week of July.
Plan to arrive at Bat Cave at least 20 minutes before sunset. The hike from the El Calderon Trailhead to Bat Cave takes about 20 minutes.
Keep in mind that bats are wild animals and are not always predictable. Some nights they won’t fly out until after sunset, and occasionally they won’t fly out at all! Factors like monsoon rains and temperature can impact bat behavior.
Be mindful that reptiles, such as rattlesnakes, become more active as the sun goes down. Keep an eye (and ear) out for them on your way to and from the cave, and give them plenty of space if you see one.
Once You’re at the Cave
Keep quiet or speak in hushed voices as you approach and stay around the cave.
Using flash photography is discouraged. You are still welcome to take photos and video, just without flash.
Never shine your flashlights at the bats.
Sit on the hillside opposite the cave entrance.
There are many caves in our park that bats can use and many factors (such as weather) that may affect their activity, so be aware that the number of bats emerging may vary throughout the year.
