Capulin Volcano: Monumental and in New Mexico

The last day of this summer’s road trip started in South Fork, Colo., where Cheeto bag explosions are an epidemic (inferentially), worked its way down through southern Colorado into New Mexico, then across the Okie panhandle and then on to Norman, my supposed home. Had lunch in Taos (New Mexican food and the hatch chili sauce on the enchiladas was special), then drove through northeastern NM by way of Angel Fire (has to be the prettiest part of NM). I also stopped at a KFC somewhere depressing-yet-forgettable in Oklahoma (Guymon maybe? I should’ve held out for Fort Supply — the name would’ve stuck). The one non-food stop of the day was at Capulin Volcano National Monument, located in NE NM, pretty much where the mountains and eternal prairie meet.

Apparently, this area used to be volcanic. Bunch of mounds across the landscape there that supposedly used to erupt, back in the day (millennia ago).

(Click on the photo to get the full panorama.)

There’s a person dressed up as a buffalo down at the visitors center for some reason (not pictured). Then you drive up the hill to the edge of the crater. A trail leads you around the crater.

View from the trail.

Meanwhile, storm clouds gather in the east.

And, if you’re feeling daring, you can also take a trail into the heart of the crater, where the dreaded vent is.

The vent area is unprepossessing.

In short, then, a nice place to get out the car and stretch your legs. The visuals of the volcano itself are actually more striking from the car.

Or, for those of you with functioning rocket cars, the aerials are even better. Do a Google search maybe.

Capulin Volcano, everybody, Capulin Volcano! Thank you, good night.

bkd

Cedar Breaks National Monument = Bryce Canyon – (.5 * Bryce Size) – (.95 * Bryce Crowds)

Basically Bryce Canyon, but not as big and definitely not as crowded. Similar hoodoos though. I was there on June 22nd, driving from SLC to San Diego.

Later that night I slept at a rest stop on the California side of the CA-NV line. I-15. The idling semi trucks were like white noise. The person whose car alarm went off once every two hours will one day pay for his (her) insolence.

Long before that, though:

A marmot.

The road out.

It’s a national monument that warrants about four photos and I *do* now realize that I should have taken more (a non-zero number of) pictures of the rest area. Although you’ve probably been there yourself — metaphorically if nothing else.

bkd