On a stunningly beautiful March day, with temperatures in the 70s, we decided to take a short drive down to Raton and points east yesterday.

Twenty miles east of Raton you will find Capulin Volcano National Monument. This volcano erupted into existence 60,000 years ago. Capulin’s conical form rises 1,300 feet above the plains and reaches 8,180 feet above sea level. A curvy paved road takes you up to the top where you can look down into a caldera or volcanic crater.

The best part? The incredible views looking west! If you look carefully you will see the Sangre de Cristo mountain range in the distance. Those are the mountains we see from our patio west of Walsenburg.

Check out Mount Capulin sometime and learn more about how volcanos form.