Get Inside a Volcano

Capulin Volcano in northeastern New Mexico was designated a U.S. National Monument on August 9, 1916. Nine years later, a road to the top of the volcano was built, allowing visitors to drive to the rim of the crater.

The highest point offers a panoramic view of the volcanic field, which consists of at least 100 volcanoes that formed over the course of nine million years. Snow-capped mountains and portions of four states—New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Colorado—are also visible in the distance. A trail along the rim allows hikers to catch a glimpse of such surroundings, while another provides a path down to the mouth.

The volcano’s shape formed approximately 60,000 years when the remains of its last eruption fell back upon the vent and cooled into a symmetrical cinder cone.

—LiveScience Staff

• Image Gallery: Wild Volcanoes
• Volcano Quiz
• All About Volcanoes