Capulin Volcano National Monument in
Capulin (NM)

My wife and I intentionally routed our return east from Taos, New Mexico, so that we could visit Capulin Volcano. We weren't disappointed. At 70 years old, I climbed a volcano (something to tell the kids) and enjoyed the amazing views from the top! My senior National Parks pass got us in for free. It's an easy 10-minute drive from the visitor center to the parking lot near the top. From the parking lot there are two paved trails: one to the bottom of the caldera and another that circles the rim. I walked the latter trail that is 1 mile long and rises (if I recall correctly) an additional 395 feet in elevation. I enjoyed the view and got a great workout! The visitor center had some nice souvenirs.

I love volcanoes so naturally I'm going to visit Capulin! Mom and Pop atmosphere for sure. The hike into the crater and around the rim are mild.I did it in full motorcycle gear last summer. I don't believe the rim trail is wheelchair accessible. If you walk in after 3:30pm, the drive to the top is free. You need to be down by 4:15pm though. This is when the gate to the top is closed. Enjoy!

Passed this a few times but glad it was open when we did. Tucked away, great views and easy walk inside the volcanoes.

Its on our way to colorado, just by the highway, definately worth the visit, 20$ per car to purchase at visit center. Walk around the top, 360 degrees spectacular views inside and outside.

Capulin Volcano was truly amazing... the fresh air, the peace, and the stunning views made it unforgettable. The drive up to the top, slowly circling the volcano, was a wow moment all on its own. The park rangers were very friendly and welcoming, which added to the experience. At the top, you can hike the rim for incredible panoramic photos. You can also hike down into the crater.... it’s a shorter trail and not quite as breathtaking as the rim, but still very enjoyable. ​This place is beautifully maintained and clearly well cared for. It would be a crime to give it anything less than 5/5

This is a must visit place. Easy paved hiking trails. Goes along the rim of the volcano. Great views over 8000 ft high. Worth the time and $20 park pass. I would recommend this location to anyone.

Small National monument - can do in about 2-3 hours. Beautiful view from the top of the crater cone. The trail at the top is about a mile - took us about 35-40 minutes, including various stops for pictures! View from the top is awesome - very happy we made the detour on our way to Taos. Could not do the Night sky view - but in the summer months park rangers conduct a night watch, and they have some good telescopes too!

Wonderful "little" side quest on your road to adventure. The National Park Center has a clean organized gift shop with a fabulous little museum. The staff are delightful. Pictures DONT do this monument justice, Just Go!

A really fascinating National Landmark. The view from the rim trail is pretty spectacular. Evidently the volcano last erupted 60,000 years ago in the Last Ice Age and was made part of the NPS sometime around the turn of the 20th Century as geologists recognized it as an excellent example of a cinder cone volcano. Its a fairly quick visit, and easy to fit into a cross country trip.

A wonderful place to visit. I walked the rim trail all the way around. It took me a long time to do be cause I had to keep stopping to rest. I took the stairs to the right near the restrooms. I don't think I would have made it If I had started on the left side which was a lot steeper. It was very windy at the top. There are benches on the path so you can rest and enjoy the view.

Very good views. The hike down into the volcano wasnt long but going around the top takes a little while. It can get chilly, even during the summer.

Road closed due to the government shutdown. 2 miles each way plus a mile around the crater. Very interesting information boards along the way. Nice views. Very solitary on Wednesday evening in October. Can see the bottom of the crater from the upper parking lot. Clean pit bathrooms in the upper parking lot. Pinon pines with occasional nuts along the way. Crows, blue jays, deer.

Finally marking this off my bucket list. The Crater Rim Trail has some amazing views and well worth the less than mile hike to enjoy it. The staff were super friendly, nice, and professional. Found the Benchmark just a few feet away from the elevation sign.

I stopped here to break up a long drive. It turned out to be a good choice. Stayed for about two hours and used my National Park pass. There is a nice trail around the top of the old volcano and into it. Couple other trails at the base if that interests you. Good views of the area. Watch out for the afternoon thunderstorms during monsoon season.

Definitely do the hike around the rim and into the crater. 1.25 ish miles. The rim can be steep but it is paved. The view all the way around the rim are amazing!

This is a pretty cool place. For a small fee you get to drive up to the very tip top and walk around the crater or you could walk down inside. Beautiful scenery on the way up and down. The staff here is excellent as well.

A Beautiful area of our country. There were storms in the area during our time here and the rangers advised against going up top so we did not get to experience the top. Nice educational video at the visitor center.

I had visited Capulin when I was a child and went back for the first time in probably 30 years! It was so much fun driving to the top, walking the rim trail and hiking down into the crater. The hike is a bit strenuous around the rim for anyone that is not used to elevation, but so worth the view. We saw so much wildlife and enjoyed every bit of our experience. To know before you go, you purchase your pass at the visitor center before driving up. The top is over 8,000 feet in elevation and climbs quickly as you drive. If you are afraid of heights and don't like to drive without a guard rail on the outside lane, be advised, there is no guardrail ? If you are pulling a trailer or camper you will have to drop it at the visitor center, only vehicles are allowed up or if you are really adventurous they allow for foot traffic, but no shoulder to go up safely. Make sure to check out the exhibits and the video in the theater room at the visitor center. All in all, it's well worth the trip and climb to the top! We are definitely going back on one of their Night Sky viewing parties from the base and can't wait to take our kiddos!

I honestly had no idea these volcanoes ever existed. We happened to be driving from Chicago to Taos and saw this on the map. We decided to take a short detour. We’re really glad we did. It’s not a long visit, but it’s a fun short ride up to an extinct Caldera, where you can look inside. If you are more inclined for hiking, you can walk around the volcano rim. You can see dozens of these all through the area, but this is a great example of one. No, this is not national park worthy, but it certainly is a fascinating national monument that I’m glad we stopped to see.

It was so awesome to see this volcano/crater! We were out for a drive while visiting the area and found this monument park. The view is amazing! There us a walkway around the top of the crater and one to the center of the crater. The visitor center was informational and had a gift shop. It is a great experience and worth the time and money. How cool is it to actually climb down into a volcano!

Totally Worth the Stop! We stumbled on Capulin Volcano during a road trip and decided to check it out—so glad we did! It was a quick stop, but I wish we had more time to explore. The entrance fee is $20 per car, and honestly, it’s well worth it. The views are amazing, and the whole place is super clean. The restrooms were spotless, there are nice picnic spots, and they even have filtered water bottle stations, which was a nice touch. It’s a beautiful spot and definitely worth a visit if you're in the area!

Very neat place! The views were stunning & learning the history I’d the road up the volcano was super interesting- what a great little pit stop on our road trip. Definitely worth it!

Park staff was amazing. They were fairly busy juggling sales and getting people access to the top with the limited parking lot. Despite all of this they were very helpful and in great spirits. The wife and I hiked the rim trail. The views were excellent and the placards informative.

Capulin Volcano National Monument Review We visited Capulin Volcano National Monument in early July and really enjoyed it! The site was easy in, easy out — very convenient, especially if you're traveling with a rig or larger vehicle. It was a bit warm during our visit (typical for this time of year), so be sure to bring water and sun protection. The trails are definitely walkable, but they’re not the best maintained. It’s smart to wear pants to avoid brush and bring a walking stick for better footing. Also, be on the lookout for rattlesnakes — we were warned, though we didn’t see any ourselves. One of the most fascinating parts of the visit was seeing the lava rocks up close. Along the trails, you can spot different types of volcanic rock and old lava flow formations. It was especially interesting to see the vents and lava tubes — natural channels where the lava once flowed. You really get a sense of the power that shaped this place. Admission was $20 per vehicle (up to 15 people), and they do enforce a vehicle size limit. If your RV or rig is longer than 26 feet, you won’t be allowed to drive to the top — but if you’re towing a smaller vehicle, you can unhook and take that up instead. Best of all, the Visitor Center hands out free maps, which came in handy for navigating the area and learning more about the volcano’s history and geology.

This is definitely worth the detour! We saw the sign on the side of the road and decided to stop and it was really worth it. The rangers and staff were incredibly helpful and knowledgeable. The drive to the summit shows you surrounding views of the entire area. The hike down into the crater was fairly easy, and we were able to spot several deer while inside the crater

Nicely maintained monument. You can drive right up to the volcano rim. Road is ‘fun’ with limited guard rails as you wind your way up to the top. The rim trail is paved and offers great views as you hike the loop from the parking lot. There is a visitor center with good bathrooms, friendly rangers and a gift shop. I was here during the day but if you have the opportunity to attend a night event it would be spectacular as there is nothing around to ruin the night sky.

Beautiful views all the way around! If you plan to hike all trails, be sure to arrive by early afternoon to allow yourself plenty of time for admiring views and taking pictures. Each Ranger I encountered was so kind and helpful!