Birding By Car Stop 1

Cerro La Jara Stop 2

~6 min drive

<p>As you walked, you probably noticed that you are walking in a large valley and there are rounded hills or mountains in the distance, behind you, and to your right. You are walking in a volcanic caldera – a depression formed during a volcanic eruption. This caldera was forme…

Birding By Car Stop 4

~6 min drive

At the entrance station, we are surrounded by montane grasslands. Across the road is a small, forested lava dome called Cerro La Jara. If you're looking for a short hike with lots of wildlife watching opportunities, there's a wonderful 1.4-mile loop trail around the lava dome.…

Cerro La Jara Stop 1

~6 min drive

<p>Welcome to the Cerro La Jara Trail in Valles Caldera National Preserve. This trail is about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long and will likely take 1 to 2 hours to complete. The elevation change is small – about 50 feet. Leashed pets are permitted on this trail, but please ensure that…

Cerro La Jara Stop 4

~6 min drive

Look straight down the path. Cerro La Jara is to your right and South Mountain is directly in front of you. Both of these formations are volcanic domes. Volcanic domes are formed by the extrusion of lava that piles up in a dome shape. Cerro La Jara and South Mountain were form…

Cerro La Jara Stop 8

~6 min drive

Did you notice that prairie dogs make this area their home? They like to make chirping noises to warn each other of people in the area, so they are difficult to miss! What they are also doing is trying to make future trace fossils. A trace fossil is a record of life that isn’t…

Cerro La Jara Stop 7

~6 min drive

Look northward across the road. The broad valley is Valle Grande. A lake filled this valley several times in the past. If the lighting is right, you will be able to see low, flat lying ridges at the base of the mountains in the distance. These ridges are sediments that were de…

Cerro La Jara Stop 5

~6 min drive

The large mountain in the distance directly ahead of you is Redondo Peak. The smaller peak just to the right is Redondito. These mountains are part of a resurgent dome in the center of Valles Caldera. A resurgent dome is different than a volcanic dome; it wasn’t extruded as la…

The Movie Set Cabin

~6 min drive

Located on Valles Caldera's main entrance road, approximately a half mile from NM State Route 4, this cabin is part of the 2003 "The Missing" movie set starring Tommy Lee Jones and Cate Blanchett. Park at the Jemez River Trailhead and walk a quarter mile up the trail beyond th…

Cerro La Jara Stop 6

~6 min drive

So far, you have learned that about 1.2 million years ago, a giant volcanic eruption occurred and created Valles Caldera when the roof of the empty magma chamber collapsed. The material that was erupted (called the Bandelier Tuff) was deposited inside the new hole in the groun…

Alamo Spring

~3 min drive

Moderate 10.51-mile high desert trail to Alamo Spring with gentle elevation gain.