Capulin Volcano National Monument

I had visited Capulin when I was a child and went back for the first time in probably 30 years! It was so much fun driving to the top, walking the rim trail and hiking down into the crater. The hike is a bit strenuous around the rim for anyone that is not used to elevation, but so worth the view. We saw so much wildlife and enjoyed every bit of our experience. To know before you go, you purchase your pass at the visitor center before driving up. The top is over 8,000 feet in elevation and climbs quickly as you drive. If you are afraid of heights and don't like to drive without a guard rail on the outside lane, be advised, there is no guardrail 😊 If you are pulling a trailer or camper you will have to drop it at the visitor center, only vehicles are allowed up or if you are really adventurous they allow for foot traffic, but no shoulder to go up safely. Make sure to check out the exhibits and the video in the theater room at the visitor center. All in all, it's well worth the trip and climb to the top! We are definitely going back on one of their Night Sky viewing parties from the base and can't wait to take our kiddos!

It was so awesome to see this volcano/crater! We were out for a drive while visiting the area and found this monument park. The view is amazing! There us a walkway around the top of the crater and one to the center of the crater. The visitor center was informational and had a gift shop. It is a great experience and worth the time and money. How cool is it to actually climb down into a volcano!

Capulin Volcano National Monument Review We visited Capulin Volcano National Monument in early July and really enjoyed it! The site was easy in, easy out — very convenient, especially if you're traveling with a rig or larger vehicle. It was a bit warm during our visit (typical for this time of year), so be sure to bring water and sun protection. The trails are definitely walkable, but they’re not the best maintained. It’s smart to wear pants to avoid brush and bring a walking stick for better footing. Also, be on the lookout for rattlesnakes — we were warned, though we didn’t see any ourselves. One of the most fascinating parts of the visit was seeing the lava rocks up close. Along the trails, you can spot different types of volcanic rock and old lava flow formations. It was especially interesting to see the vents and lava tubes — natural channels where the lava once flowed. You really get a sense of the power that shaped this place. Admission was $20 per vehicle (up to 15 people), and they do enforce a vehicle size limit. If your RV or rig is longer than 26 feet, you won’t be allowed to drive to the top — but if you’re towing a smaller vehicle, you can unhook and take that up instead. Best of all, the Visitor Center hands out free maps, which came in handy for navigating the area and learning more about the volcano’s history and geology.

I honestly had no idea these volcanoes ever existed. We happened to be driving from Chicago to Taos and saw this on the map. We decided to take a short detour. We’re really glad we did. It’s not a long visit, but it’s a fun short ride up to an extinct Caldera, where you can look inside. If you are more inclined for hiking, you can walk around the volcano rim. You can see dozens of these all through the area, but this is a great example of one. No, this is not national park worthy, but it certainly is a fascinating national monument that I’m glad we stopped to see.

Totally Worth the Stop! We stumbled on Capulin Volcano during a road trip and decided to check it out—so glad we did! It was a quick stop, but I wish we had more time to explore. The entrance fee is $20 per car, and honestly, it’s well worth it. The views are amazing, and the whole place is super clean. The restrooms were spotless, there are nice picnic spots, and they even have filtered water bottle stations, which was a nice touch. It’s a beautiful spot and definitely worth a visit if you're in the area!

This is definitely worth the detour! We saw the sign on the side of the road and decided to stop and it was really worth it. The rangers and staff were incredibly helpful and knowledgeable. The drive to the summit shows you surrounding views of the entire area. The hike down into the crater was fairly easy, and we were able to spot several deer while inside the crater

This well-maintained national Park monument is something you should not miss! I was driving by en route to Colorado with my family and we decided to stop. There's a visitor center with a lovely gift shop & info on the volcano. You can drive on the scenic route up the volcano to get to the crater. The scenic views are immaculate! You can also get some views of wildlife if you're lucky. The rangers are also very friendly.

Park staff was amazing. They were fairly busy juggling sales and getting people access to the top with the limited parking lot. Despite all of this they were very helpful and in great spirits. The wife and I hiked the rim trail. The views were excellent and the placards informative.

A little bit of a journey to get there (bring snacks, water), but worth it. Great Rangers who answered all our questions, provided extra info and spoke of the Star-gazing opportunities. Nice Visitor Center with clean restrooms(in-door), small theater, gift shop. Well maintained road up to top of Volcano with beautiful views all the way up. At the top there are also restrooms if needed after short drive or if scared of heighrs-LOL You can hike around the rim, well-paved path with benches throughout the hike (might be needed), you know if not accustomed to higher elevations. The hike is worth it for the views & exercise. You can also take same well paved path to bottom of the Volcano. Nice little area for a snack upon completion.

Impromptu pit stops are the best. When I woke up in Amarillo, I didn't plan to summit a volcano in New Mexico on my way back to Denver. Turns out that's exactly what I did! Located in the town of Capulin, I think Capulin Volcano National Monument's finest characteristic is its location to the main highway linking Colorado and Texas. When I initially saw the sign for Capulin Volcano saying it was 25 miles away, I had to pull over and look at a map. When I realized it was only 3 miles out of the way from my route, I knew it was a no brainer. After nearly missing the turn, a narrow road leads you to the visitor center. Watch out for cow crossing! Do the right thing and stop at the visitor center to pay for your parking permit. Ultimately, do I think $20 is steep for the experience? Yeah I do, but that's coming from a spoiled Coloradan where some of the most amazing hikes and views don't cost a dime. However, it goes to a good cause. Especially for a hidden gem like this. You drive up to the top, which is pretty awesome. A parking lot awaits you around 7,700 feet. Now the views are great. You can even see the glorious snow-capped Rockies off in the distance. As I mentioned earlier, this was a spontaneous stop. I was wearing jeans and non-hiking boots. The one mile loop is paved and only a few hundred feet up. So I said screw it, grabbed a water bottle and climbed up. I'm glad I did, especially seeing a bench struck by lightning! The 360 degree views are pretty cool. You can see far and wide. For a quick pit stop, especially to break up a long drive, spend an hour here at Capulin Volcano National Monument.

On our last return to Dallas from Denver - despite the already long drive - we could not pass up a visit to this Nat'l Monument - just minutes off our route. We were both so thankful to have stopped. Our visit was worth every minute of delay to our return home! The views, the learning, and the exercise were all wonderful! Even if limited in time, it's worth a stop to drive to the top, walk down in - and along the rim - of this former volcano!

Definitely worth hiking up the trail! From far away it looks like a simple volcano. The views are amazing. The only thing that sucks is all the little flies and gnats. They were pretty annoying but still worth it!

WOW beautiful view, even the surrounding area is gorgeous. Don't blink because you'll miss the small town.

If you happen upon the sign for Capulin Volcano, definitely go check it out. It's only three miles off the highway and there is an informative visitors center. Drive up to the rim of the Volcano for unbeatable views of the nearby plains then walk down into the caldera for a different view.

We have wanted to drop in to see this monument for a while on our Colorado/Oklahoma road trips. Well we decided to make time this time and add in a 20 minute hike around the rim for a nice leg stretch of our 11.5 hour drive. I was getting excited because they actually offer four different hiking trails over the volcanoe ranging from 0.2 miles to 2 miles with most being moderate in skill level. No luck for us though. Their hours are limited, the fee is crazy at $20 per vehicle, and they close the road leading in. I am sure they would get more visitors if they lowered the price. Really disappointing we could not just drive up to the top at least to see a little of it. It is a dormant volcano! It is not like they made it or anything. It would be wiser to pay for a membership to National Parks ($80) then to spend $20 for one view.

During our road-trip we decided to stop at several locations to stretch our legs and explore. It was quite windy/chilly outside so we didn't stay long.

This was quite a unique experience. The Capulin volcano, or what's left of it, is just one small part of the incredibly varied landscape and geological history that makes up New Mexico. My dad had been wanting to visit here several times and we finally made it together. We weren't disappointed. Near the entrance at the base you will find an extensive visitor center - this is where you can get your passport stamped too. From there, you can drive a road that circles its way up the side of the volcano and park at the rim near the top. There is a short rim trail that starts here at 7,877 feet. It's fully paved and can be handled by even the most out of shape visitors. A spur trail goes down into the caldera. All that's left of the volcano is a giant pile of pumice-like stones and it's quite extinct. While many people might say "it's just a bunch of rocks", that's actually part of the appeal to me. Having hiked Mt. Fuji some years ago, I found this to be quite similar, aside from the considerable size and elevation differences. Capulin is also known for being one of the best night-sky spots in the country where, on almost any clear night, you can easily make out the entirety of the Milky Way. There appear to be stargazing events, but you will need to read up on them before just heading on out.

So, real talk. Driving from Oklahoma in the metro OKC area all the way to Colorado Springs down I-40 through Texas's panhandle and then up through the tip of New Mexico is something to never try to do alone if you are an extrovert. Just sayin. You may go mad with all the desolate land. The random stops though make it totally worth it. If you are looking for a fun little stop and good break then for sure check this place out. The restrooms were clean. The visitor center was very cute and helpful and had awesome educational tidbits throughout. You can pay to drive up to the top of the volcano or hike it as well. We bought the ticket and off we went driving. The snow was not something we wanted to get all cozy with on up hill hike. I don't know what I expected from the volcano itself. I mean its covered in beautiful nature now. So it doesn't look like some crazy volcano my Oklahoma brain was expecting lol! You can walk all the way around the rim of the top and its is breathtaking. You can also walk down into the middle as well. Both paths are paved and when not icy it would be a breeze and awesome. We went ahead and braved the ice. We were quite entertained by us trying to stay standing and were not disappointed by the walk. And obviously I didn't die because here I am writing this review. There was plenty of parking up top. Lots of information boards about the history of the volcano and fun science facts if you wanted your kids to learn some fun things while out. Definitely worth the stop at least once.

Worth the stop. It's a small park, but very beautiful and my kids love it. There are several easy paths great for small children. It's a great place to have a picnic and watch wildlife as well.

drove 60 miles out of my way because the National Park service failed to maintain the website for this National monument. at 5 p.m. on July 5th the gates were closed. This, despite their website saying the park was open until sunset.

Pretty great monument we just happened to stumble upon on our drive. Only 3 miles off the road, a great visitors center (clean bathrooms!!), then a quick 10-min drive to the top. We didn't have time to hike, but the views were amazing! 10/10 recommend!!

A great roadway stop find on the way to Colorado! Super friendly rangers, great views, kiddo loved it!

Peaceful place. A nice day of hiking and a quiet picnic. Great family environment and fun, US national parks are true gems.

Scenery is beautiful. It's a $15 fee to view it. The drive up was nerve racking to me because it's a steep drop off that increases, of course as you make your way up the winding road to the top. No railing throughout the 20 mph route. There is a bricked off area on each side when you reach the parking area and get out. Just take precaution with children and definitely a good idea to be wearing good shoes for the walk/hike, depending on where you want to venture. Higher winds when we came so we didn't walk up to the very top with our littles. Very amazing photo opps.

We stopped here on the way to Colorado. It was neat. The drive up the Volcano was a little nerve wracking with no guard rail, but it was worth it.

This is a gem. The hike at the top around the rim is worth it. The views, the history, the geology and nature, it's all so abundant and apparent. A great side trip for any long trip passing by that area and could also be a destination itself. As usual, the rangers were exceptionally helpful and kind too.

Not much to see with road to top of volcano out of commission. Limited visitor center. Friendly rangers. Nice junior ranger program, especially geared towards young children. The road will eventually be repaired, but until then, I would probably not put in the effort to visit.

I have a high regard for the National Park Service and I'll rate any national park at five stars. They're all awesome. National monuments are the next level down from that. Many are great; pretty much all are worthwhile visits. Capulin is a worthwhile visit if you're in the area. The volcano (a cinder cone) recently erupted, so the various volcanic features are still fresh, geologically speaking. So, the monument is educational as well as pretty cool. Descending the short caldera vent trail is pretty easy, although the walk back up is steep and will get your heart pumping. It's also not terribly exciting. The rim trail is a different story. It's not long as trails go, but the elevation change in such a short distance will definitely get your heart racing. It's totally worth it. Not only do you get a better view of the volcano's caldera, but you'll get great views of the surrounding features, such as pressure ridges. And great long-distance vistas. Stop in for a visit.

In all of our years of camping the NE corner of New Mexico is one place we have missed until last year. Since then we have vowed to go back to the Capulin National Monument area at least once a year. The Raton- Clayton volcanic fields provide the most unusual and beautiful views that are unlike the other beautiful views in New Mexico. From the highest point of the volcano you can see, New Mexico, Oklahoma,Kansas,Texas and Colorado. Capulin: Spanish for choke cherry.

Unexpectedly beautiful and educational for my teens. Rangers were funny and nice. I encourage everyone going through this part of New Mexico to stop in.

Gorgeous Being in a volcano crater... off my bucket list! Wonderful view, really down to earth! Drive around volcano to reach top, Walk around crater to view down, walk into crater! Each time one is breathtakingly awesome!

A beautiful place to stop, a little overpriced, and snarky workers at the shop but overall great. Neat to learn about the once active volcano. If we had more time im sure it would've been fun to hike.

We traveled all the way from Texas and we really enjoyed the views the volcano had . The kids loved it. We are hoping to come back and finish the hike. Definitely worth the stop .

I really enjoyed visiting Capulin Volcano National Monument. We did four trails, all relatively easy although there were some steep sections in three of them. Great views from the volcano rim and really liked the lava flow area as well, especially on a gorgeous spring day. While they don't have camping or other services here, it is a very nice park and the staff was great. Fee per carload seemed slightly high but as with most National Parks, it was totally worth it to us once we realized how much goes into the maintenance of this space. The road is VERY steep circling up to the top of the volcano but it's not too awfully scary. We were in a smallish/standard size vehicle though, and I do think it would be more challenging in a very large SUV or similar. We did see several snakes and I'm telling myself they weren't young rattlers...who knows (markings weren't quite right for rattlesnakes).

We've been here twice now and love it. NPS sites are always great. There is a visitor center and nature trail close to the entrance. You must go into the visitor center and purchase a ticket to drive to the top, it's $20 per vehicle. At the top, there is a short trail around the crater, it can be steep in places but it is worth it to walk around and take in the scenery. You can also walk to the center of the crater. It's neat to be able to walk around a volcano!

Great Landmark to visit. Historical and amazing to see all the Lava Rock formations from thousands of years ago. The eruptions were massive. Pictures do this no justice. You have to stop and see to understand the overall magnitude of this volcano.

Stopped here on our way to Lake City CO. A little bit out of our way, but easy drive. The view is really pretty. There's a trail you can walk, but dogs aren't allowed. This really sucked seeing how we had our two pups. We thought we'd have a nice little walk to stretch legs, instead we stayed in parking lot for couple min, took some pictures, and left. I guess at least we can say we went.

I don't know how I made it to the top. I am deathly afraid of heights. Narrow winding road. No guardrail. Steep incline. No safety. No one to hear me scream. It felt like I was strapped to that machine in the Princess Bride. That road just sucked 5 years out of my life. I almost cried. Surprisingly, it was a very easy walk down into the volcano. Sadly no fire Pokemon appeared. WHERE ARE YOU CHARMANDER??

We stopped quickly as a pit stop on a road trip, it was gorgeous! You can drive up to the top of the volcano and see the inside of it. You can hike up higher if you want, but the view from the parking lot at the top was good too! Definitely worth the stop!

really fun besides the fact that the height may scare you. also the road is very narrow and scary to drive on (especially with the lane closure). i also think it is very over priced if you are just driving through. overall i enjoyed the experience although i am scared of heights.

This was liked by everyone in the family. It was a great stop for the kids to get out and stretch their legs after riding for several hours in the car. The views are breath taking and the hike was great. I highly recommend this stop if you have the time.

This was a fun stop on the Colorado to Texas leg of our road trip. It's the perfect place to stop and stretch your legs. We started in the visitor center where you pay the entrance fee to drive to the top. They had a small exhibit and video about the volcano, as well as a good-sized gift shop. The employees were all very friendly and helpful. When we reached to top there was another park service employee stationed in the parking lot. She was really talkative and friendly and gave us lots of pointers about the different trails. We decided to do the rim trail, and started off to the left, figuring we would take on the steepest part of the climb first and have it easier on the way back. (Going to the right is a more gradual climb but uphill farther.) We were warned by the employees but there were little flies all over the place along the path. They didn't bite but were horribly annoying. This was in June, so if they are in season when you go I'd suggest taking a bandanna or something to keep them out of your face. Along the hike we saw a mule deer, lots of lizards, and all kinds of interesting plants. Since you are really high up the view is amazing. I'm glad we stopped. Now I can say I've been to a volcano!

Planned to stop and see this volcano on a trip from Dallas to Colorado (since it's on the way) and it actually exceeded my expectations. For starters, it's a lot bigger than you'd think; I got nervous driving up the thing. Secondly, the visitor's center/gift shop is pretty cool and the staff is nice. There are plenty of trails on the volcano, ranging from easy to difficult. We had a baby, so we took the easiest route, a 0.2-mile journey into the mouth of the volcano. There was signage, plenty of lava rock and some mule deer. Overall, a very interesting experience. (Although, it's very humorous they actually think the volcano was formed millions of years ago, considering the earth is only around 6,000 years old.)

While on vacation we came across this little gem! It is worth the trip to the top! The trails around the rim and to the crater are very easy. Can be steep at some parts. The bugs or flies were thick in June. Would recommend bug spray or a mosquito net.

This is an awesome National Monument to go check out, especially since it is a inactive volcano! You can climb down into the crater of the volcano(which is pretty small compared to other extinct volcanoes as well as active ones that I have seen)Down in the crater you can walk around and read the signs as to what made up this particular volcano. Out of the crater you can hike around it up top which is really not a very strenuous hike at all and does not take very long to do it. You can get some great views up top of the plains(or is it desert?) from all directions. The monument is not a huge detour from I-25 so you should not lose too much time to drive to this destination.

Amazing first stop on our trip from Texas to Colorado. The drive up the volcano was beautiful and the staff at the visitor center was very friendly. Walking down into the middle was interesting and we could really feel the change in altitude walking back up as it was challenging to breathe. The hike around the rim was also challenging, but there were plenty of benches to stop along the way and rest while taking in the beautiful scenery. It was well worth it. Those used to it seemed to not have any challenges. Enjoyed the experience.

Drive to the top of Capulin Volcano National Monument and behold the spectacular view, it is amazing! Not sure what else there is to do here besides check out the inactive volcano and maybe hike around a little. Fun place to see if you are nearby but not worth the extra drive if it's out of the way.

One of a kind anywhere near this area. Can drive to the top, walk the 1 mile path around the rim, see lava flows from many years ago, see colonies of lady bugs collecting on the plants, etc. We were there in August 2012. A lot of little flies attached to us during the walk. Not sure what they were.

What? A volcano in New Mexico??? Yup. It's dead, but it's still really cool. This is the edge of the Great Plains, right before the high mountains as the settlers came across the Santa Fe Trail. How odd it must have been seeing these strange hills rising above the flat, hot, boring topographical monotony. The Plains elevation is about 7182 and at the rim of this "volcano" (actually a large cinder cone) is 8182 above sea level. The rim is a DYK walk-in-the-park of just a mile of paved trail with an awesome 360 view of the plains in all directions. I joked that if I circumvented the rim 10 times, it would equal that extended version 10 mile hike traversing through Big Basin or the 12 miles it took to traverse through Yosemite to see a waterfall and still it would be a lot easier. On the Oklahoma side (you can see Black Mesa at the horizon) I did a hokey rendition of "OOOOOOOH-kla-HO-ma, where the wind blows freeee!," http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1776824085292429295&q=oklahoma+where+the+wind&ei=UalGSNrLJZ784ALTvs2iDAfor my friend's mom and we were both wowed by the ancient lava flows, pyroclastic flow ripples you can still see from the flat earth, and a large shield-volcano named Sierra Grande, aptly named. Who knew on the Northwest corner of this state that volcanic proportions existed? Well, it makes sense since the Rockies and the Colorado Plateau are here for that reason. It takes about 2-3 hours to get there from Taos-with stops at the Colfax Tavern and sight seeing and 2-3 hours to get back with stops at the Colfax Tavern and a yummy meal in Red River, NM $5 admission for one car. If you have a dog, you can bring the pooch on leash, but the dog for some reason-even on a hot day-is not allowed to traverse the trails due to tourons (moron+tourist=touron) who don't clean up after their pets. So blame them and not NPS. :P

This place was amazing. We paid $7 per vehicle, drove to the top of the volcano and had lunch. We were able to walk down inside of the volcano. I believe there was also a path to walk around the outside at the top. It was great!

Relatively unknown, but suprisingly awesome national monument. For $5, you can drive to the top of an extinct volcano then hike down to the bottom of the crater. Also lots of deer and other wildlife all around! Highly recommend.

This was a great stop on the way back home from a road trip. We walked the entire rim of the volcano and walked to the center. Great views from the top and you can see former volcanos across the land. Neat place to visit

The views here are breathtaking and if you walk down the trail it will literally take your breath away. Great place to stretch during long road trips and, for the price, you can't beat the experience. Gave it 4 instead of 5 simply because, although a neat roadside attraction, I wouldn't plan a whole trip around it.

We found this stop as we were already on our route to CO, and boy was it worth the detour. We hiked around the rim of the volcano, saw deer grazing down in the volcano, and looked around the info center.