National Monument · New Mexico

Capulin Volcano National Monument

Capulin Volcano National Monument is a U.S. National Monument located in northeastern New Mexico, 30 miles (48 km) east of Raton. You will find it 3 mi northeast of Capulin. This is a site of the National Park Service. In 2025, it drew 89K visitors.

Photo: R.D. Miller, USGS, Public domain

Visitors in 2025

89K

record 107K in 2021 · National Park Service

Busiest month

July

60% of visits May–Aug

Where

3 mi northeast of Capulin

1 place to stay in Capulin

Established

1916

National Park Service

In brief

A national monument, 3 mi northeast of Capulin

Plan where you’ll sleep

The nearest town with many places to stay is Raton, 27 miles west. Where to stay ↓

No airline airport nearby

The closest airport with airline service is Taos Regional (TSM), 97 miles away.

60% of visits come in May–Aug

July is the busiest month, with about 19,698 visitors. January sees about 2,093. When to go ↓

Winters are cold

January nights drop to 15°, with about 41" of snow a year. When to go ↓

Established in 1916

Capulin Volcano National Monument dates from 1916 and is run by National Park Service. About ↓

Written from National Park Service visitor counts, NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia. Updated when the Park Service posts a new month.

When to go

Crowds and weather, month by month

Each month at Capulin Volcano has its visitors and its weather below.

Jan45° / 15°2.1K

Feb47° / 17°2.2K

Mar55° / 23°6.2K

Apr61° / 30°5.4K

May70° / 39°8.9K

Jun80° / 48°16K

Jul83° / 53°20K

Aug80° / 52°9.5K

Sep75° / 44°7.7K

Oct64° / 33°4.6K

Nov52° / 23°3.3K

Dec45° / 15°4.9K

Bars: average monthly visitors, 2022–2025. Line: the typical afternoon high. Green months are mild and quieter than average. Visitors: National Park Service visitor use statistics, recreation visits. Weather: NOAA 1991–2020 normals for Capulin. Capulin’s full climate →

About

Capulin Volcano National Monument

Capulin Volcano National Monument is a U.S. National Monument located in northeastern New Mexico, 30 miles (48 km) east of Raton. It encompasses around 800 acres (320 ha) of land that includes an extinct cinder cone volcano and is part of the Raton-Clayton volcanic field. The volcano and surrounding area was established as a national monument by president Woodrow Wilson in 1916.

Type: National Monument
Established: 1916
Elevation: 8,182 ft
Run by: National Park Service
Listed: International Dark Sky Park (2016)
Wikipedia readers: 22K a year
Official site: nps.gov/cavo

From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Facts: Wikidata.

Plan your visit

Before you go

Address46 Volcano Highway, Capulin, NM 88414(575) 278-2201

Hours8:30am - 4:00pmVolcano Road Vehicle Access is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Pedestrians and Bicycles are allowed on volcano road after 4:30.

Entrance fees

Private Vehicle$20
Motorcycle$15
Per Person$10
Non-commercial Groups$10

Getting thereCapulin Volcano National Monument is located in northeast New Mexico. The monument is located 33 miles east of Raton, NM, and 57 miles west of Clayton, NM on NM325 3 miles north of US64. No public transportation systems serve the park.

National Park Service. Check the park’s site for closures and alerts.

Where to stay

A base for Capulin Volcano National Monument

Hotels, motels or campgrounds are closest in Raton (27).

Visitor centerPark landHighways12Places to stay in town

40 min drive

Raton

27 places to stay · 14 hotels · 7 motels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 2 campgrounds · 2 RV parks

The closest town with somewhere to stay.

5,952 people

27 mi west of Capulin Volcano Visitor Center · 26 mi to the park

5 min drive

Capulin

1 place to stay · 1 RV park

79 people

3 mi southwest of Capulin Volcano Visitor Center · 2 mi to the park

10 min drive

Des Moines

1 place to stay · 1 motel

105 people

8 mi east of Capulin Volcano Visitor Center · 7 mi to the park

Compare 3 towns

Town	From the visitor center	Drive	Places to stay	People	Typical home	Safety
Raton	27 mi west	40 min	27 14 hotels · 7 motels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 2 campgrounds · 2 RV parks	5,952	$134K	C
Capulin	3 mi southwest	5 min	1 1 RV park	79	$48K	—
Des Moines	8 mi east	10 min	1 1 motel	105	$153K	—

Getting there

Nearest airports with airline service, from the visitor center

TSMTaos Regional97 mi

PUBPueblo Memorial108 mi

ALSSan Luis Valley Regional Airport/Bergman Field113 mi

COSCity of Colorado Springs Municipal · major hub145 mi

Places to stay: Overture Maps (hotels, motels, inns, lodges, campgrounds, RV parks; not vacation rentals) · roads: Overture Maps / OpenStreetMap contributors · park boundary: National Park Service · town figures: U.S. Census ACS · Safety: TownRatings Safety grade · airports: OurAirports. Distances are from Capulin Volcano Visitor Center; drive times are estimates.

Make a day of it

Pair Capulin Volcano with these

Also within 61 miles are these.

55 mi MountainBlack Mesa

60 mi State parkBlack Mesa State Park

59 mi MuseumNational Scouting Museum

40 mi MuseumBaca House and Outbuilding

40 mi MuseumTrinidad History Museum

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons

Photo credits

Black Mesa: Gilderien, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Black Mesa State Park: Christopher Gabbard from Tulsa Oklahoma, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · National Scouting Museum: George Segelken from Doylestown, Pennsylvania, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Baca House and Outbuilding: Billy Hathorn, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Trinidad History Museum: Wyvonne Phillips; color-corrected by Howcheng., Attribution

Visitors

In 2025, 89,489 visitors

The record starts in 2016 and runs to 2025.

Every full year the Park Service has counted. 2020 (gold) was the pandemic year. Green is the record (2021). National Park Service visitor use statistics, recreation visits by calendar year.

Common questions

Good to know about Capulin Volcano

What town is Capulin Volcano National Monument near?

Capulin, NM, about 3 miles southwest.

When is the best time to visit Capulin Volcano National Monument?

June, July, August and September, with highs of 75–83°. July is the busiest month (about 19,698 visitors).

How many people visit Capulin Volcano National Monument each year?

89,489 in 2025, according to the National Park Service. The record is 106,623, set in 2021.

What is the closest airport to Capulin Volcano National Monument?

Taos Regional (TSM), about 97 miles away. The nearest big hub is City of Colorado Springs Municipal (COS), about 145 miles.

Where should I stay near Capulin Volcano National Monument?

Raton (27 mi, 27 places to stay).

From locals

What locals in Capulin say

Start the conversation in Capulin’s Town Square.

When do you go to beat the crowds at Capulin Volcano? Where do you eat after a visit to Capulin Volcano? Is Capulin Volcano worth it with small kids? What do visitors to Capulin Volcano usually miss?

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · National Park Service visitor use statistics · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.