Valles Caldera Welcome Station — Local services in Four Corners States

We loved this stop. It has a quiet beauty to it that makes me want to come back. Being in the remnants of a giant volcano is amazing enough for me alone. Add to that the vast meadow/prarie that is full of wildlife and it only gets better. We could have sat down in a lawn chair and watched the prarie dogs for a long time. We saw elk, birds, and a lone coyote. I wished that I had my fishing pole. The backdrop of forested lava domes reaching thousands of feet above in the distance added to the drama of the landscape. The sky treated us to July clouds that were massive and magnificent. We walked around the island and enjoyed every angle. My short visit left me wanting to come back to explore deeper into this wilderness. I had only planned for a short stop there but I recommend slowing down to enjoy the peace and splendor that lives here. Definitely stop in the nature center, the...

The Valles Caldera is a special place that is not to be missed. The drive is about an hour from Santa Fe and takes you over 9000 feet. I would not take our trailer with us up the steep windy roads. It is a spectacular drive with lots of viewpoints. We followed Google maps and it took us through the entry booth at Las Alamos. The driver had to show his driver's license then the gate was opened. The entrance station for the Valles Caldera is down a narrow gravel road that leads onto the caldera. Park Rangers are available to discuss hikes in the area, history and other roads to explore. They also had a brochure for the area with the geology of the caldera, etc. There was no fee to enter. It was suspended. We...

Ask about the Backcountry drive. Although the road is pretty basic and unchallenging the views of the back Caldera are incredible.

Few people realize that the Valles Caldera is a 10 million year old version of Yellowstone. Drive up from the west and you'll see volcanic deposits hundreds if not thousands of feet thick.

From the east you'll climb through deserts and river gorges and up through amazing old growth forests.

Winter, summer, spring or fall you'll probably see Deer, Elk, Bears, Eagles and goodness knows what else.

The Caldera is an incredible place and a shining example of what America can still do when they...