Capulin Volcano National Monument lies in the far northeastern corner of New Mexico and offers great views of other volcanic features, the Sangre De Christo Mountains (the Rockies), and even into Oklahoma’s Black Mesa area. Actually, you can see five different states from the top of the extinct crater! You can see New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, and Colorado from the top where there’s also a great 360° view 1 mile loop hike around the crater of the volcano.

It’s over 8,000 feet up so be prepared for a lack of oxygen. The crater is 400 feet deep and one mile around, as the hike suggests. There are 100 volcanoes in this volcanic field and some of them span 10 million years. Capulin actually exploded around 55,000 to 62,000 years ago, making it the relative youngin’ of the bunch and the only ones to have witnessed its impressive explosion would have been the mammoths, mastodons, ground sloths, bison antiquus, sabertooths, and all their friends.

This little gem is so far out of the way of everything that it’s rather quiet, secluded, and serene so enjoy the views and the solitude at this exciting little ancient volcano.

Very nearby, Black cowboy George McJunkin discovered the Folsom point of the Ancient Ones in a creek bed! Listen to my episode on Black Cowboys for more information on that man. And listen to my episode on The Ancient Ones to find out more information on those amazing first peoples in the New World.

In her pursuit to gain sole grazing rights, Jessie Foote Jack became the first custodian for Capulin Volcano using her husbands political connections in 1916. That made her the first female custodian in the National Park Service, period. And that date means the worst president (a competitive list) the United States of America ever had, Woodrow Wilson created the National Monument.