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Capulin Volcano National Monument

We had tried to visit this monument a few years ago, but there had been a rainstorm the night before we visited back then, and created a bit of a landslide that blocked the road.  This year, we had no such problem and we were able to get to the rim and actually walk down into the caldera.

Capulin Volcano erupted about 60,000 years ago.  This was the end of a period of regional volcanism that began about 9 million years ago.  It’s now extinct, and there are grasses, wildflowers and other plant live are now living in that caldera.

View into the Capulin Volcano

From this image, you can see the various plant life forms that are growing in the caldera.  This is actually taken from the perspective of being inside the caldera.  I was partially down into the caldera.

Capulin Caldera Rim

As I walked down into the caldera, I looked up at the rim and thought this was a very cool perspective.  Perhaps others have been in a caldera, but this is pretty much my first one – at least that’s this easy to delineate as one!

Looking Down Capulin

For this image, I focused on looking directly down the caldera from the path I was on.  The cinders that you see in the foreground were what made up the cone of the volcano!

View of Ancient Volcanos

As I said above, the Capulin Volcano erupted at the end of a period of regional volcanism.  As we looked out on the area surrounding Capulin from the near rim of the caldera, you can see the other ancient volcanoes that once were.  This is a particularly striking view – at least I think so!

Enjoy!