Capulin Volcano - Pinyon pine and juniper forest grow on a young lava

Pinyon pine and juniper forest grow on a young lava flow on the flank of Capulin Volcano. Sierra Grande, an older stratovolcano, is visible in the distance to the southeast of Capulin Volcano. Sierra Grande rises about 600 meters above the surrounding plains and is about 15 kilometers in diameter (Gust, 1990). The volcanic rock of Sierra Grande is dated to be 3.8 to 2.6 million years old (Stroud, 1997). There are approximately 125 cinder cones in the Raton-Clayton volcanic field located throughout the northeastern corner of New Mexico and southeastern Colorado. Many of the volcanic cones have associated lava flows (Gust, 1990). This picture was taken along the one-mile long Lava Flow Trail that starts near the Visitor Center.