The Valley of Fires Recreation Area is adjacent to the Malpais Lava Flow, a BLM Wilderness Study Area. The lava flow is between 1,500 and 2,000 years old, making it the youngest such flow in the continental United States. It extends from Little Black Peak south into the Tularosa Basin for 44 miles. The flow is between 4 and 6 miles wide and the lava is 160 feet deep at its thickest point. A surprising number and variety of plants and animals thrive in the rugged landscape of the flow.