Capulin Volcano NM, NM (# 0017)

My main reason for staying in Raton was to go out to Capulin Volcano National Monument – unfortunately the day I went, there was low cloud cover and rain. However, just getting to Capulin was a surprise. The route, US 87, is a 4 lane highway with surprisingly heavy traffic headed to Texas. I was also surprised at how many volcano cones there were in the area (see the satellite photos). Capulin is only 60 miles from the Texas border in a high plains area that one doesn’t typically associate with volcanic activity.

The photo here is what I could see of Capulin Volcano from the entrance road – only the base. Despite the rain and fog, the excursion still provide interesting information (see the next pictures).