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Ice Cave and Bandera Volcano

12000 Ice Cave Road · Grants, NM

Why you should go…

A family-owned natural attraction along old Route 66 near Grants, New Mexico, with self-guided walking trails to the Bandera Volcano cinder cone and a lava-tube cave that holds ice year-round. The cave formed more than 3,000 years ago and its internal temperature never rises above 31 degrees Fahrenheit. An on-site trading post displays Native American artifacts found in the area.

  • #cave
  • #volcano
  • #hiking
  • #route 66
  • #natural wonder

Good to know

General sport & outdoor guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Weather calls the shots

    Check the forecast the morning of and keep an indoor backup in your pocket for the day it turns.

  • Shoes, water, sun cover

    The three things that decide whether you last the whole outing or cut it short after an hour.

  • Parking and launches fill early

    On a nice weekend, lots and trailheads are often full by mid-morning.

  • Daylight shrinks in shoulder season

    Spring and fall visits need an earlier start than the same trip in July.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Ice Cave and Bandera Volcano, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

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