New Mexico · Hiking

Crater Vent at Capulin Volcano

Crater Vent at Capulin VolcanoPhoto: NPS Photo
0.1 mi
round trip
59 ft
climb
7,877 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Jun, Aug–Oct
best months

Is Crater Vent at Capulin Volcano open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Capulin Volcano National Monument. It doesn't name Crater Vent at Capulin Volcano, so check the source for the area it covers.

  • Volcano Top Access Closed to Vehicles over 26 feet long and to all Trailers

    Park closure covering Capulin Volcano National Monument · NPS · Capulin Volcano National Monument

  • Bicycles and Pedestrians now allowed on Volcano Road

    Park alert covering Capulin Volcano National Monument · NPS · Capulin Volcano National Monument

As of · Source: NPS · Capulin Volcano National Monument. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Crater Vent at Capulin Volcano is a short, easy hike in Capulin Volcano National Monument in New Mexico, managed by the National Park Service. The route is about 0.14 miles long, with a one-way climb of 59 feet, and it leads down into the crater of an extinct cinder cone volcano. The vent itself is the source of the volcano's formation, which was plugged with solidified lava after the eruption. The crater's rim rises about 415 feet above the vent and has a bowl shape roughly 1,450 feet across. The crater has been preserved from erosion by spatter deposits of fused volcanic bombs from the later stages of the eruption. For comfortable weather, aim for late spring or early fall. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Capulin show May highs around 74°F and September highs around 77°F, while July averages about 86°F and winter highs sit in the mid-40s. The Crater Rim Trail starts about 0.1 mile away, and the Top of Capulin Volcano hike is about 0.2 mile off. The Collapsed Lava Tube at Capulin Volcano and the Historic Chimney at Capulin Volcano are both within about half a mile.

  • Best time to go · May–Jun, Aug–Oct

    Best time to visit Crater Vent at Capulin Volcano

    Best months: May–June and August–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      46° / 15°

      5 wet

    2. Feb

      49° / 18°

      5 wet

    3. Mar

      57° / 24°

      6 wet

    4. Apr

      64° / 31°

      6 wet

    5. May

      74° / 40°

      8 wet

    6. Jun

      83° / 49°

      10 wet

    7. Jul

      86° / 54°

      13 wet

    8. Aug

      83° / 53°

      11 wet

    9. Sep

      77° / 46°

      7 wet

    10. Oct

      67° / 33°

      5 wet

    11. Nov

      54° / 22°

      4 wet

    12. Dec

      46° / 14°

      5 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Capulin, NM, 3.3 mi away at 6,840 ft. The station sits about 1,000 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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