August 8, 2025
Why do you pass the volcano when you can stop and climb it? Heck, yes!
A few weeks ago, instead of cruising past Caplin Volcano National Monument in northeastern New Mexico on a lonely stretch between Austin and Denver, we stopped. We arrived at business hours (8:30am) and spiraled through the Cinder Cone access road, parked in a small plot and huffed up the trail to Crater Rim.
Our reward? Below is a spectacular view of the monsoon gray plains, along with dozens of other extinct volcanoes.
The largest of these is the Sierra Grande, which peaks 2,200 feet above the plains.
In contrast, Caplin stands just 1,300 feet above the plains. However, the altitude above sea level is 8,182 feet. It’s as expensive as Bale, Colorado – nothing to sneeze. Furthermore, its distinctive cinder cone makes it instantly recognised as a volcano.
Born just 60,000 years ago, Caplin is a young whipper-napper in the 8,000 square miles of Raton Clayton volcano. The volcano began erupting here 9 million years ago. At the time of the Caplin eruption – almost yesterday, during a geological period – the mammoths and the giant bison would have witnessed it.
Caplin and other volcanoes at the Raton Clayton volcano are extinct. However, a new volcano was one day born. For now, everything is peaceful.
Caplin retains crater and cone shape for two reasons. 1) He was relatively young and had no time to erode. 2) After cinder cones had accumulated, they were not top-off due to lava flows from the base.
You can follow the 105-foot trail at the bottom of the crater and stand on a plugged vent.
I chose the higher view – a mile paved loop around the edge of the crater.
Naturally, I stopped constantly to take pictures of the plants.
It was mid-July, everything was green thanks to the afternoon monsoon rain.
Wild flowers were also in bloom.
Beer Drip Pens Morton
Soba, maybe?
Silver leaves in green with lava rock accents – beautiful scenery
Panoramic views along the trail – truly, the views here are spectacular.
The thick lizard looked at me calmly from his sunscreen perch.
Hello
Yucca, Penstemon, Grass, etc.
Pensmen flying Crimson Pennants
Int pink wildflower
You can see a parking lot at the edge of the mountain. The lot is small, so on busy days, the Rangers will stop the car from rising until someone leaves. It’s beneficial to arrive early.
Here are my tips to allow early arrival in such a desolate place. If you are heading north, stop overnight in Clayton, New Mexico. From there, it takes just 50 minutes to Caprime the next morning. If you’re heading south, Raton is even closer, only 30 minutes.
The pine trees have their footing here.
But a lot of bleached wood skeletons say it’s not easy to be green.
The highest point is 8,182 feet above sea level. You may feel that.
If this is wavy like thistle, it is native. Other thistles on the site are non-native.
Of course, the invasive Malayne is here as well, and looks pretty. Staff cut out their work to help them slow its spread.
More trees, live and die
Volcanic rock walls hold the slopes down along the trail.
A steep view
Pear with thorns
Pink grass
One more
The bird was singing his heart here – see it?
Does anyone know what it is? I had to research using the Merlin app.
More Penstaman
Ground Cell
I found a spotted spruce near the parking lot and lived his best life on the volcano. It’s definitely a place worth seeing, so don’t miss it on your next road trip through New Mexico.
For previous visits to Caplin in 2021, click here.
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