The Capulin Volcano National Monument is a famous tourist spot and for good reason!Located in the Raton Clayton Volcanic Field, this volcano provides the most breathtaking views. This volcano last erupted around 50,000 years ago and is now the seat for some of the most amazing hiking trails in New Mexico!The perfectly shaped cinder cone is fascinating both because of the thick pine and juniper forests that it now supports and for the many animals that find their homes here. The volcano also provides a spectacular all-around view of the entire volcanic field from its very top, and it is nothing but marvelous to spend some time at the Night Sky Viewing Area. Keep reading to learn more facts about this splendid place!Tourism Facts About Capulin VolcanoesCapulin Volcano, a national monument and an important part of the natural history of the nation, is known for the beautiful landscape it provides to people who go hiking or simply bask in the glory of the crater rim through which lava once flowed.Since the Capulin Volcano is a national monument, people from all parts of the world visit the place to enjoy the landscape and get to know more about the natural history of the nation.It is an extinct volcano, and hence, you shouldn’t be worried about volcanic activity during your hike up to the crater rim.Only a singular cinder cone that rises up with vegetation all around it is known as the Capulin Volcano.There are several other mounds and smaller volcanoes in the area.The Capulin Volcano is a part of a rather large volcanic field.This volcanic field is known as the Raton-Clayton volcanic field.It is one of the most famous landmarks of New Mexico.The Capulin Volcano is located on 44 Volcano Road, Capulin in New Mexico.If you plan on visiting this extinct volcano, you will have to pay a nominal entrance fee.The entrance fee is just $5, and you are sure to get an experience that is worth your buck during the hike.There is a visitors’ center which is two mi (3.2 km) away from the parking lot on the volcano.This parking lot is easily available, and the journey up to it is well worth the drive.It also provides breathtaking views of the surrounding hills of the volcanic field.There are two hiking trails that you can choose from.The first one leads to the very base of the crater.Once at the base of the crater, you can take a look at the ginormous basalt boulder that closes the vent.If this doesn’t sound like a nice hike to you, you may just as well take the other route, which goes around the rim.The second hiking trail makes an entire loop around the rim and provides spectacular views in a 360-degree fashion.There are several benches and informational plaques installed at regular distances.These plaques and benches will help you to catch your breath while also soaking in some of the facts about the volcano, which have been revealed through a geological survey.The entire area is only open from dawn until dusk.However, if you want to access the Night Sky Viewing Area, you will be able to do so in the late hours as well.Cyclists can only access the Volcano Road after five p.m.On the other hand, vehicular traffic stops entering after 4:30 p.m.Make sure to check the weather forecast before planning a trip because bad weather often causes Volcano Road to remain shut.If you want to drive up to the Capulin Volcano National Monument, make sure that you trust your driving skills with sharp turns and rocky roads!From the most elevated point on the crater rim trail on a clear day, tourists can see portions of five states: New Mexico, Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, and Colorado.Geographical Facts About Capulin VolcanoesLike all volcanic fields, the Raton-Clayton Volcanic Field and the Capulin Volcano provides much geological information, not only about the volcanic features themselves but also about northeastern New Mexico.The Raton Clayton Volcanic Field is located in the far northeastern part of New Mexico.This volcanic field lies at the east of the Rocky Mountains.It is located 30 mi (48.2 km) to the east of Raton and is easily accessible by road.Many mineral resources can be found in the area due to the pressurized magma that erupted from the volcanoes in the area.The last eruption took place around 56,000-60,000 years ago, which tells us that the volcanoes are now extinct.The singular cinder cone, which we now identify as the Capulin mountain, is perfectly symmetrical in shape, which is expected in volcanic features of such areas.The Boca trail in the Capulin mountain is nearly two mi (3.2 km) long and reaches up to the Boca area.The Crater Rim Trail makes a rim around the crater of the volcano and explores the many markings made through eruptions that took place thousands of years ago.The Capulin cinder cone rises more than 1,000 ft (304.8 m) above the valley floor and is the centerpiece of the national monument.The Raton Clayton volcanic field spans over an area of about 7,500 sq mi (19,424.9 sq km).The Capulin Volcano is the easternmost volcano of North America.The Raton Clayton Volcanic Field is famous for some preserved portions of the Santa Fe Trail.Some of the important portions of the Raton Clayton Volcanic Fields are the Round Mound, Wagon Mound, and the Rabbit Ears Mountain.This volcanic field is the easternmost in the United States of America.It belongs to the Cenozoic era.The oldest rocks in the area are nine million years old, while the youngest were created as newly as 50,000 years ago.The Capulin Volcano is characterized by the small amounts of lava flows that took place a long time ago.Studies tell us that an array of different kinds of lava flows took place in the Capulin Volcano.There also were some cinder splatters through the volcano.The mouth of the volcano is known as the boca, which is Spanish for mouth.The first eruption took place from the southeastern part of the volcano, while the subsequent eruptions took place from the boca.There were three phases of the volcanic field.The three phases are the Raton phase, Clayton phase, and the Capulin phase.The Raton phase is the earliest one from the volcanic field.Volcanic activity in the Raton phase dates back to 9-3.6 million years ago.Next came the Clayton phase, which dates back to around 3.6-2.0 million years ago.The Capulin phase is the youngest, dating back to less than two million years ago.History Of Capulin VolcanoesThe Capulin National Monument is so beautiful and majestic that all visitors are struck with awe at the history of the place. The grandeur of the Capulin Volcano is something that has been carved into being through millions of years worth of volcanic activities.Capulin Volcano has a history of different kinds of lava flow and splatter.There have been no lava, cinder, or ashes from the volcano for at least the last 50,000 years.This has led to the making of the Capulin Volcano as a national monument.It is one of the youngest extinct volcanoes of the United States of America.It is the easternmost Cenozoic volcano of North America.The Capulin volcanic activities took place after all others of the volcanic field.The Capulin phase is considered to have happened around 1.7-0.04 million years ago.The last eruption from this volcano took place at least 56,000 years ago.The first eruption did not take place from the boca of the volcano.There are speculations that there would have been a total of three eruptions from the Capulin Volcano.Only the second and third eruptions took place from the boca or the mouth of the volcano.The streaks made by the lava flow are still visible along the crater.Extensive studies of the Capulin Volcano National Monument were undertaken by the New Mexico Bureau.The lava and cinder that once erupted from the volcano have now made the area a fully functional ecosystem.The ecosystem is complete since the soil is rich and supports the growth of an array of trees and shrubs.The Capulin Volcano National Monument is named after a shrub called chokecherry, which grows in the area.The Mexican word for chokecherry is ‘capulin’, hence the name.The Capulin Volcano is associated with dark lava flows.Capulin Volcanoes’ EruptionsThe eruptions that took place in the Raton Clayton Volcanic Field in general and the Capulin Volcano, in particular, are important from a historical point of view since they help in understanding the thriving ecosystem that now exists in the area.When lava flows through an area, it results in a number of geological phenomena, which ultimately result in fertile soil.This process of lava making the soil more fertile is particularly time-consuming.The last eruption from this volcano took place at least 50,000 years ago, and hence, the soil around the cinder cone is extremely rich in minerals.This allows the growing of thick pine and juniper forests.This volcano erupted thrice, according to geological evidence.Evidence shows that the first eruption took place on the southeastern end of the volcano.The subsequent eruptions took place from the boca or the mouth of the volcano.This volcano is important since studies show how it can be associated with an array of many kinds of cinder splatter and lava flows. The lava, as seen through research, was drained in a manner that is very modern.The Capulin Volcano National Monument was established in the year 1916.This national monument was established by Woodrow Wilson, who thought that it was the perfect example of the history of the nation and of the extinct volcanoes in it.Since then, tourists from all parts of the world have found their way to the Capulin Volcano to hike to the rim of the crater, to the very center of it, or to simply walk around and catch a glimpse of the splendid landscape.When in Capulin, remember to read the plaques that have been installed along the hiking trails to gather more knowledge while you catch a breather!
The Capulin Volcano National Monument is a famous tourist spot and for good reason!
