Capulin Volcano National Monument, Dormant volcano and national monument in Union County, United States
Capulin Volcano National Monument protects an extinct cinder cone in the Raton-Clayton volcanic field of northeastern New Mexico, 30 miles east of Raton. The cone rises about 400 metres above the surrounding high plain to 2,494 metres, with an asymmetrical rim and a crater roughly 440 metres across and 126 metres deep. A paved road spirals around the cone to a parking area at the rim.
This cinder cone formed roughly 60,000 years ago through volcanic activity in the region. The federal government protected it as a National Monument in 1916 to preserve the geological feature.
The name Capulin comes from the Spanish word for the chokecherry, Prunus virginiana, which grows around the volcano. Visitors can see chokecherry trees among the pinyon pines and junipers on the slopes. The national monument was established in 1916 and is administered by the National Park Service.
A paved road spirals about three kilometres around the cone to a parking area at the crater rim; from there a roughly 1.5 km trail circles the rim, and another path descends about 130 metres into the crater. The visitor centre sits at the base. The surrounding high plain lies far from city lights, so night skies stay dark.
The site holds certification as an International Dark Sky Park, allowing visitors to see stars, planets, and galaxies with minimal light pollution throughout the year. This rare designation makes it one of the best places in the region for night sky observation.
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