About 60,000 years ago, Capulin Volcano erupted for the last time, blanketing the plains of what is now northwestern New Mexico with lava and ash. Today, the volcano is extinct and towers over the surrounding landscape like a massive, 1,000-foot-tall, nearly perfect cone-shaped anthill.

Capulin was designated a national monument in 1916 during the presidency of Woodrow Wilson, who considered it “one of the most extraordinary volcanoes of recent extinction… of scientific and especially geological interest.”

Geologically, Capulin is a relatively young and remarkably symmetrical volcano. Its summit is about 1.5 kilometers (0.9 mi) across, and its base is riddled with ancient lava channels. From the volcano, visitors can view 20,000 square kilometers (7,500 sq mi) of adjacent lava fields that are part of Capulin itself; from there you can also see New Mexico, Colorado and Oklahoma.

Thanks to the volcano, the soil around it is very fertile, which contributed to the prosperity of the reserve of the same name. Capulin itself is covered with coniferous forests, junipers and various shrubs, one of which is bird cherry. Its name in Spanish – capulin – was later transferred to the volcano. The reserve is home to black-tailed deer, black bears, mountain lions and more than 70 species of birds, including wild turkeys, roadrunners and hummingbirds.

Another feature of the volcano is the 3-kilometer paved road that snakes to its very summit, thus turning Capulin into one of the most accessible volcanoes in the world. Also known as the “Volcano Road”, it is famous throughout the state and is an attraction in itself.