When you think of volcanoes, New Mexico may not be the first thing that comes to mind. But maybe it should be. For geology enthusiasts among us, New Mexico lies at the intersection of the Rio Grande Rift and the Jemez Lineament. In simple terms, these cracks in the Earth’s surface cause weakness. These large geological fissures allowed molten magma to escape from the mantle. The result: we have lots of volcanoes here in New Mexico!
The volcanoes here in New Mexico are generally all considered extinct, but they can be such an exciting learning opportunity for all ages. This spring break, my family and I decided to check out one of the many volcanoes here in New Mexico: Capulin Volcano National Monument. We made it a stop on our road trip up to Colorado.
Getting There
To get to Capulin Volcano National Monument, you’ll head almost four hours north on I-25. If you plan on driving north at all this year, I would say it is a great little pit stop. It is just about 30 minutes east of Raton, NM.
Capulin Volcano National Monument is an extinct cinder cone volcano and is part of the Raton-Clayton volcanic field. When you visit, you will come to the ranger station at the bottom of the hill. You will need to check in here to get information as well as pay your fee. The cost is $20 per vehicle or free if you have an America the Beautiful Pass (National Park Pass).
Did you know that 4th Graders can get a FREE National Park pass? Learn more here.
The ranger station has educational exhibits, a touch table, an informational video, and clean flushing bathrooms. Pro tip: Use these potties. The restrooms at the top are vault toilets, and I much prefer being able to wash hands with real soap and water.
Once you have checked in and paid your fee, you will get back in your vehicle and proceed to the paved road that takes you around the outside of the volcano to the parking area at the top. Once you arrive at the top, you are treated to some beautiful views! You can gaze down into the volcano crater itself or out to the surrounding area and many other volcanoes dotting the landscape.
We chose to pack a picnic with us for this adventure. When we got to the top, we set up our cooler and other fixings with a view. One of my major tips here is to remember that this volcano is somewhat remote. You’ll want to bring either a packed lunch or pick something up in Raton, NM. The weather here can also be variable. So make sure you have plenty of water as well as hats, sunscreen, and layers. We went on a relatively nice day, but the wind at the top can be a bit much from time to time, so we were glad to have both sun hats as well as layers.
Trails
With lunch finished, we decided it was time to do a bit of hiking. There are two main hiking trails that you can access from the parking lot. One is the Crater Rim Trail, and one is the Vent Trail.
The Crater Rim Trail is a 1-mile paved loop that goes all the way around the outside of the crater rim. Even though this trail is paved, it can be a bit steep in places. I would not recommend a stroller for this hike but instead some kind of carrier for the younger kiddos. This loop will take you anywhere from 40 to 90+ minutes to complete.
The Vent Trail is a 0.2-mile paved, steep trail that leads to the bottom of the crater. Same as above, the steepness of this trail is not stroller-friendly. But my 4-year-old had no problem maneuvering over the trails. The Vent Trail would take you about 15 to 30 minutes to hike there and back.
My kiddo is in his dinosaur phase, and as part of that, he has been all about volcanoes, too. We chose to go for the Vent Trail, where you can get a better view of the volcanic rocks. It also helps that my husband is a geologist and has tons of fun facts for both my son and me!
Capulin Volcano has been a national monument since 1916. Remember to take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints so that the next 100+ years of visitors can have a great experience too!
A trip to the Capulin Volcano National Monument was the perfect side quest for our spring break road trip. It gave us a nice place to stop, explore nature, stretch our legs, and learn something new!
