lava caves (no entry)
This overlook sits at 7,302 feet on the Trail of the Ancients byway, with the surrounding terrain dropping 80 feet within 600 meters. The site marks lava caves that are closed to entry. Double Sinks lies 0.4 miles north at 7,324 feet, while El Calderon cinder cone rises to the west-southwest at 0.6 miles and 7,596 feet. Farther off, Deer Hill stands 5.1 miles north-northeast at 8,187 feet, and Gallo Peak is visible 5.3 miles northeast at 8,667 feet. Grants and Milan are the nearest towns, both about 15.8 to 15.9 miles to the north-northeast, with Laguna located 35.4 miles east. Daylight hours vary by season: sunrise runs from 05:59 at the June solstice to 07:17 at the December solstice, with sunset ranging from 17:05 in December to 20:30 in June. The lookout before this point on the route is also the lava caves site, and the next stop along the byway is Lehmer Lookout.

What you’re looking at
Named terrain around this overlook, nearest first. No view direction is recorded, so every bearing is listed.
- Double Sinks7,324 ftnorth · 0.4 mi
- El Calderon cinder cone7,596 ftwest-southwest · 0.6 mi
- Deer Hill8,187 ftnorth-northeast · 5.1 mi
- Gallo Peak8,667 ftnortheast · 5.3 mi
Light
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Golden hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 07:16 | 19:24 | 18:51 |
| June solstice | 05:59 | 20:30 | 19:52 |
| September equinox | 07:01 | 19:10 | 18:37 |
| December solstice | 07:17 | 17:05 | 16:26 |
Local time (America/Denver). Computed for this exact position.
Where it is
- Grants15.8 mi north-northeast
- Milan15.9 mi north-northeast
- Laguna35.4 mi east
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How high is lava caves (no entry)?
lava caves (no entry) sits at about 7,302 feet (2,226 m).
What can you see from lava caves (no entry)?
From lava caves (no entry): Double Sinks (N, 0.4 mi); El Calderon cinder cone (WSW, 0.6 mi); Deer Hill (NNE, 5.1 mi); Gallo Peak (NE, 5.3 mi).
What is the nearest town to lava caves (no entry)?
Grants, 16 miles NNE of lava caves (no entry).
What is the next lookout after lava caves (no entry)?
Lehmer Lookout is the next surfaced lookout along the same route after lava caves (no entry).
Drive to lava caves (no entry) with Byway
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lava caves (no entry) — confirmed, rated, and photographed by people who actually pulled over. A local confirmation is what upgrades a lookout from Discovered to Verified. Zero hallucinations.
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