Capulin Volcano National Monument

We left La Veta and went as far as Raton, New Mexico just 75 miles.  Our first day on the road after sitting for so many months we like to just make a short trip and see how everything tows.  The truck started to overheat a few hundred feet before we got to the top of Raton Pass.  We pulled into a weigh station at the top and the truck cooled right down.  That happened on a Sunday and we couldn't get it looked at until Tuesday because of the holiday.  Since the truck behaved when not towing we took the 30 mile drive east of Raton to see this volcano.

The big deal with this volcano is it is the youngest volcano this far east.  It erupted 60,000 years ago.   It is extinct now but the 8,000 square mile area around this volcano is a called the Raton-Clayton volcanic field and it could become active again but not likely.   The other thing that made me want to see it is that normally you can drive almost to the top and then hike down into the volcano itself.  Unfortunately, the road to the top washed out a few weeks ago so they weren't allowing anyone up there.  Oh well maybe the next time we come through we can try again. 

We got the truck fixed and will be headed to Alburquerque for a few days.  Its still in the mid nineties but its a dry heat!