Capulin Volcano National Monument, NM, June 1, 2013

Capulin Volcano National Monument preserves approximately 800 acres (324hectares) primarily the cinder cone volcano. More than 15 square miles of associated lava flows are outside the monument boundaries and can be seen from various places along the rim looking out. In the photo above, Oliver is walking along the rim of the now inactive volcano. You can also hike to the center of the crater. 

After a stop at the visitor's center to get oriented and watch their video that provides some history of the area, we had a picnic lunch before we headed to the rim for some hiking.

The slopes of the volcano have been stabilized by the formation of soils, produced by the breakdown of the volcanic material by lichens and mosses. Once these soils formed, grasses, wildflowers, shrubs and trees took root. Chokecherry trees, which are common along the crater trails, inspired the name for this cinder cone volcano; Capulín is a Mexican-Spanish word for Chokecherry. 

From the top of the volcano the views are vast and the signage around the rim helped to explain the interesting geology of the area. When the volcano erupted it impacted the landscape for miles. The scars are still visible.

The volcano rises to a height of 8182 feet above sea level, or 1300 feet above the surrounding High Plains. This means that the views are expansive and impressive. 

The photo above is looking into the center of the crater that is 415 feet deep and 1450 feet in diameter. After we hiked the entire rim, we took the trail to the center. There was signage and information throughout. It was a very interesting place and we loved the hikes and scenery.

Maxwell NWR, Maxwell, NM May 20, 28, 30, 2013

The Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge is located in the high central plains of northeastern New Mexico and was established in 1965 as a feeding and resting area for migratory birds. We saw a place that is so much more than that. We did not live here, but rather commuted to Maxwell on three separate occasions from our resting place at Rio Mora NWR about 60 miles south of Maxwell. In between visits, we took files back and forth and scanned them from our workspace at Rio Mora. We absolutely loved every visit here and found Maxwell to be a beautiful and peaceful place with wide open spaces where wildlife flourish. In the world of wildlife refuges, it is relatively small in scale, with a small staff, yet they are doing great things with many different offerings for the public to enjoy as well, including a large prairie dog town and a nice drive loop. We saw wildlife on every trip and even participated briefly in an effort to band hummingbirds on the grounds. 

This is Leann, the refuge manager. She is a sweetheart and is doing a great job maximizing the potential of this gem of a place. She took us on a tour during our first morning.