Banco Bonito

According to oral tradition, shortly after the Hemish people moved to the area, they established high altitude farming for corn, beans, and squash in the microclimates of Banco Bonito. To this day, this is the site of the highest elevation field houses ever discovered at approximately 8,000 feet. While archaeologists and visitors are amazed at this success, Chris Toya emphasizes that careful knowledge and stewardship enabled Hemish farming.

Birding By Car Stop 1

This site, near the South Valle Grande Trailhead along NM State Route 4, is predominantly mixed conifer forest and woodland (both dry and moist mesic). Prevalent plant species include blue spruce and ponderosa pine, fox tail, wildflowers, and yarrow. Watch for these birds each season: Winter: Dark eyed junco Spring: Northern flicker Summer: Pine siskin Fall: House finch

Birding By Car Stop 2

This overlook along NM State Route 4 is very open, with amazing views into Valle Grande. We are near the transition zone between dry mixed conifer forest and the upper montane grasslands, which often means we'll have a great variety of bird species nearby.

Birding By Car Stop 3

This spot along Valles Caldera's entrance road showcases the East Fork Jemez River, its wetland, and surrounding montane grasslands.

Birding By Car Stop 4

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. In the summer, these grasslands explode with wildflowers of all types. In the winter, they get covered up by several feet of snow.

Birding By Car Stop 5

At the Ranger Station, we are at the transition zone between old-growth ponderosa pine forest and montane grasslands. This is an outstanding area to watch for a variety of birds.

Bond Cabin

Built in 1918 and known as the "Big House," it served as a seasonal home for the Bond family and functioned as the official ranch headquarters. The living room fireplace and wood-burning stove heated the building, and the cooking was done mostly outdoors. An outhouse was used until the Dunigan family remodeled in the 1980s.

• A large wooden cabin with a stone chimney stack on the side of the building. Beyond the cabin are tall pine trees.

Caretaker's Cabin

It is unclear if this building was constructed or moved here in 1951, but it was used to house Ruby and Robert Hoolihan, employees of the Bond Family who owned the land from 1918 to 1963.

• A small wooden cabin painted red, next to a large log cabin.

Cerro Del Medio

Cerro del Medio began erupting approximately 1.1 million years ago and continued for about 25,000 years. Its lava flows created very high-quality obsidian for human use. A very sharp and shiny black rock, obsidian can be fashioned or “knapped” into tools, spear points, and arrowheads. It was also used as a form of currency, traded across long distances in the Americas.

Cerro La Jara Stop 1

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.

• A brown post at the edge of the gravel parking lot leads to a narrow, dirt path. Various symbols on the post indicate that this trail is for hiking only - no bicycles or horses - and that leashed pets are permitted. Beyond the post is a sweeping, montane grassland with distant mountains. To your left are 5 large solar panels, and beyond those is a forested lava dome - Cerro La Jara.

Cerro La Jara Stop 2

You are walking in a volcanic caldera – a depression formed during a volcanic eruption. This caldera was formed as the result of a very large volcanic eruption about 1.2 million years ago. It is somewhat circular in shape and 12 to 15 miles across.

• A narrow, dirt path continues through the montane grassland in front of us. To the right is a forested lava dome.

Cerro La Jara Stop 3

Alluvial fans get their name from their shape and what they are made of. Rocks, sand, and silt moved and deposited by running water is called alluvium. Alluvial fans are fan shaped deposits of alluvium. Water flowing downhill out of the mountains moves the sediment downhill and deposits it in the valley.

• In front of us, a narrow, dirt path continues through a montane grassland. To our left are distant mountains. Where the mountains meet the grasslands are fan-shaped alluvium deposits.

Cerro La Jara Stop 4

Volcanic domes are formed by the extrusion of lava that piles up in a dome shape. Cerro la Jara and South Mountain were formed about 700,000 years after the eruption that formed Valles Caldera. They are both made of a rock called rhyolite.

• A narrow, dirt path continues through the montane grassland in front of us toward distant mountains. To our right is a forested lava dome.

Cerro La Jara Stop 5

A resurgent dome is different than a volcanic dome; it wasn’t extruded as lava. The resurgent dome was created as magma pushed part of the newly formed valley up from underneath. To understand this better, think of how the upper crust of an apple pie is lifted by the bubbling apples underneath it – the magma pushed the valley floor up, like the hot apples push up the upper pie crust.

• The narrow, dirt path continues through the montane grassland ahead of us. To our right is a forested lava dome. Ahead of us, in the distance, is a tall, flat-topped mountain - Redondo Peak.

Cerro La Jara Stop 6

The volcanic dome, Cerro La Jara is still to your right. This is a good place to see flow banding in the rocks. The banding looks like layers in the rock and indicates that either different lava flows or different lava composition, or both, made the rocks break down and weather differently.

• A narrow, dirt trail continues through the montane grassland ahead of us. To our right is a forested lava dome. To our left, but more distant, is another forested lava dome. Straight ahead of us, in the distance, is a tall, flat-topped mountain.

Cerro La Jara Stop 7

Cerro del Medio is a volcanic dome that was formed a few tens of thousands of years after the caldera collapse, when a large lake partly filled Valle Grande. It was the first volcanic dome to erupt after formation of the caldera. The lava that formed the volcanic dome was very hot and contained a lot of silica. It cooled quickly, possibly because it was erupted underwater, and formed rocks called rhyolite and obsidian.

• The narrow, dirt trail makes its way through a prairie dog town with lots of large burrows in this montane grassland. To our left is a sweeping, grassy valley with distant mountains and lava domes. To our immediate right is a forested lava dome.

Cerro La Jara Stop 8

So, will the volcano erupt again? When might it erupt? Good questions – what we do know is that there would be plenty of warning signs first. There would be lots of small earthquakes, and the ground temperature and the temperature of water in the springs would increase.

• The narrow, dirt path we've been following approaches the gravel road near the Valles Caldera Entrance Station. Along the trail are several prairie dog burrows.

Cerro La Jara Trailhead

This 1.5-mile (2.4 km) loop trail circles Cerro La Jara, the smallest volcanic dome in the park, which formed about 500,000 years ago when lava oozed up and onto the caldera floor. South Mountain, to the west, and Cerro del Medio, on the opposite side of Valle Grande, are also volcanic domes and can be seen from this trail.

• A brown post on the north side of the gravel parking lot indicates the start of the hiking trail. Beyond the post is a dirt path through a montane grassland. Behind us is the gravel parking lot and the Entrance Station.

Cerros del Abrigo

A popular area for elk hunters today and a frequented hiking area, Cerros del Abrigo was also the site of an important hunting camp for the Hemish people and positive spiritual energy. Keep an eye out for elk and black bear and listen for the distinctive cry of the pika.

Commissary

The commissary supplied basics like meat, potatoes, beans, and other canned goods for ranch workers and sheep camps. Sheepherders arriving on horseback, packed burros, and mules would stock up with weeks' worth of provisions and then return to their camps in the mountains.

• A small wooden building adjacent to a log cabin.

Cowboy Cabin

The Bond Family built this house in 1951 for ranch employee Sam Hill, his wife Bertilla, and their two children after Sam complained about the building of the red cabin for the Hoolihans.

• A small wooden cabin surrounded by a pine grove next to a large grassy valley.

East Fork Jemez River

Excellent views and fishing opportunities await you on the East Fork Jemez River.

• The headwaters of the East Fork Jemez River are located on the eastern side of Valle Grande, the largest of the grassy valleys at Valles Caldera National Preserve. It meanders west into a beautiful canyon to the park boundary. It is a small stream stretching four to five miles across the valley.

Historic Cabin District

• A total of nine log-construction buildings ranging from cabins to barns along a dirt road. In front of the cabins you can see the Valle Grande, and behind the cabins there are aspen trees, ponderosa pine, and Douglas fir. A small stream runs by the Commissary and feeds into a small pond on the side of the road in front of the cabins.

History Grove

A pocket of remaining old-growth forest in Valles Caldera featuring 250-400 year old ponderosa pines and Douglas firs.

• An old growth Ponderosa pine and Douglas fir forest with large trees 250-400 years old. The grove has suffered damage due to bark beetles and a bomb cyclone with high winds in March 2019 and there are large, uprooted trees laying on the ground.

Jaramillo Creek

Skilled anglers will delight in catching massive brown trout in this world-class flyfishing stream.

• A shallow and narrow creek bed about a foot wide with green grass growing on both sides in the summer. There are several fence elk exclosures along the stream to protect willows and other vegetation from browsing elk.

Main Park Entrance

The main entrance to Valles Caldera National Preserve, located along New Mexico State Route 4 between Los Alamos and Jemez Springs, is open daily from dawn to dusk for pedestrian traffic and from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm for vehicular traffic (8:00 am to 6:00 pm from Memorial Day to Labor Day). Learn more about our operating hours and alternative park entrances at https://www.nps.gov/vall/planyourvisit/hours.htm.

• We have just turned off of New Mexico State Route 4. In front of us is a metal gate with the current park hours posted (either regular hours of 9:00 am to 5:00 pm or summer hours of 8:00 am to 6:00 pm). Beyond the gate is a long and winding gravel road that travels into the immense grassland ahead of us.

NM State Route 4 Pullouts

There are several pullouts along NM State Route 4 to stop and view wildlife, take photos, and enjoy expansive views of Valle Grande. These pullouts are open 24/7, so they may also be used for stargazing.

• Located along NM Route 4, a series of vehicle pullouts offer views of Valle Grande, Redondo Peak, and other lava domes. Valle Grande is an immense, grassy valley about 4 miles across. Forested lava domes surround the valley on all sides.

Old Barn

Built in 1941, the Old Barn was used to store hay, straw, tack, and the "night horse." Every morning, the night horse and assigned ranch hand would be up before sunrise to bring the other horses from the field. The opening on the right was enlarged sometime prior to 1955.

• A small, old wooden barn with a fenced enclosure on the edge of a grassy valley.

Otero Cabin

The Otero (Cupit) Cabin is the oldest standing log structure in the park, built back in 1915. The Oteros, who owned the land from 1899 to 1918, grazed sheep on the mountains and cattle and horses in the valleys. Frederico Otero lived there until 1917, but later occupants included staff working seasonally on the ranch. Names carved over the door frame include Danny, Shawn, and Nathan Cupit and are dated 1967 and 1977.

• A wooden cabin near a small stream with a forest of pines behind it.

Ranch Foreman's Cabin

Known as the "Little House," this cabin housed the ranch manager. Like the Bond Cabin, cooking was primarily done outdoors until the Dunigan family remodeled in the 1980s. In both cabins, the additions can be easily recognized because they used vertical board/batten framing instead of horizontal logs. This cabin had continual ranch management use from 1918 up until the early 2000s. It was featured in the show Longmire. 

• A wooden cabin with a side extension, overlooking a grassy valley.

Redondo Peak - Resurgent Dome

Redondo Peak is not only a world-class example of caldera resurgence, but it is also a sacred peak to many indigenous cultures. In Hemish culture, for example, Redondo Peak is the center of the universe. It is the home of their deities and ancestors. Redondo is life for the people of the Pueblo of Jemez.

Saddle Shed

The saddle shed, also known as the tack shed, was built in 1963 to serve ranch operations. Ranch hands started their days here, grooming their horses and saddling up before sunrise. They would ride up to 20 miles a day, checking on livestock, inspecting fences, and tending to other chores throughout the 100,000-acre property.

• A small, wooden shed overlooks a sweeping montane grassland. Behind us are additional log cabins and wooden structures associated with the historic Baca Ranch.

San Antonio Creek

Below the north rim of the volcanic caldera and about 12 miles from the Entrance Station, San Antonio Creek meanders through the lush mountain meadows of Valle San Antonio and is home to thousands of non-native brown trout. Elk, bear, coyote, and mountain bluebirds are often spotted along the banks of the creek.

• A long, narrow creek meanders through the grassy San Antonio Valley on the northern part of the preserve. The creek serves as a resting place for various wildlife such as Bald Eagles.

South Mountain

For many visitors, South Mountain is a popular hiking, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing destination. For indigenous cultures across the Southwest, including Hemish culture, South Mountain also holds spiritual and ceremonial importance.

Stop 10: Cerro Del Medio

Cerro del Medio began erupting approximately 1.1 million years ago and continued for about 25,000 years. Its lava flows created very high-quality obsidian for human use. A very sharp and shiny black rock, obsidian can be fashioned or “knapped” into tools, spear points, and arrowheads. It was also used as a form of currency, traded across long distances in the Americas.

Stop 11: Cerros Del Abrigo

A popular area for elk hunters today and a frequented hiking area, Cerros del Abrigo was also the site of an important hunting camp for the Hemish people and positive spiritual energy. Hear Chris Toya talk about the mindset and perspective you should have before hiking or hunting in the area. Keep an eye out for elk and black bear and listen for the distinctive cry of the pika.

Stop 12: Other Tribal Connections

While this tour has focused on Hemish connections, Valles Caldera has 38 affiliated tribal nations including the Southern Ute nation. Hear Chris Toya discuss the long history of human occupation in Valles Caldera and the connections of the Southern Ute people to Valle Grande.

Stop 13: Banco Bonito

According to oral tradition, shortly after the Hemish people moved to the area, they established high altitude farming for corn, beans, and squash in the microclimates of Banco Bonito. To this day, this is the site of the highest elevation field houses ever discovered at approximately 8,000 feet. While archaeologists and visitors are amazed at this success, Chris Toya emphasizes that careful knowledge and stewardship enabled Hemish farming.

Stop 1: Sulphur Creek Trailhead

Welcome to the Sulphur Creek Trailhead! Sulphur Springs is about 0.5 mile along the road after you pass through the entrance gate. The total hike, including the loop within Sulphur Springs, is about 1.5 miles. This area is off limits to pets due to safety concerns. Pets could be injured by the hot acidic water present. Please bring drinking water, use caution near hydrothermal features, and enjoy this unique part of Valles Caldera!

• A large, metal gate crosses the gravel road. A sign on the gate says "Valles Caldera National Preserve boundary." On the left side of the gate is a pedestrian pass-through for hikers and cyclists. A creek runs below the road on the left, and a steep, forested slope ascends the narrow canyon on both sides of us.

Stop 1: Welcome to the Park!

Byron Andrew, Mark Magdalena, Brophy Toledo, and Chris Toya all belong to the Pueblo of Jemez. They introduce themselves both in Towa and English and explain their positions in Hemish society. During these introductions, you will hear a bit about the religious and social societies that most Hemish men and women are a part of. You will also hear about “power points,” places of special religious and spiritual significance to the Hemish.

Stop 2: Entrance Station

While this tour by design focuses on connections to specific places in Valles Caldera, the Hemish emphasize their ties to the entirety of Valles Caldera. From approximately 1100 C.E. to the 1600s C.E., the Hemish lived and practiced high elevation agriculture in the mountains without the megafires that have dominated the post-2000 landscape.

Stop 2: Tuff Spires

The conical rock spires to your left are the 1.25-million-year-old Deer Canyon Member, which is made up of tuff and rhyolite. A tuff is a rock that is formed during and immediately after a violent volcanic eruption. This tuff is composed of rock crystals such as quartz and sanidine feldspar, chunks of pre-existing rock forced up during the explosion, and volcanic ash that either fell out of the air or was deposited by ground-hugging pyroclastic flows.

• We're walking along a gravel road through a mixed conifer forest. To our left are tall, conical spires of light, chalky-looking rock called tuff.

Stop 3: Sulphur Springs

You have arrived at Sulphur Springs. You likely smell a “rotten egg” smell. This is hydrogen sulfide gas escaping from the springs, mudpots, and fumaroles. Valles Caldera is a dormant, but not extinct, volcano, and hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide gases escape from the partly crystallized magma that lies about 4 to 6 miles below the surface. You will see bubbles of gas escaping from the water or mud as you walk around the area.

• The forest opens up to reveal a large geothermal area characterized by bleached gravel and soil, very sparse vegetation, a bubbling pond, and a few dilapidated buildings scattered throughout the area. A creek crosses under the trail we're walking on.

Stop 3: Valle Grande

The visually stunning Valle Grande was once used and frequented by multiple indigenous nations. For the Hemish and other native peoples, land ownership did not follow European conceptions of rigid lines signifying complete control. Valle Grande was a traditional pasture for Hemish horses, a hunting area, and the site for important religious activities. Hear tribal historian Chris Toya discuss the ties both ancient and present between Jemez Pueblo and Valle Grande.

Stop 4: "Place of the Douglas Fir"

Prominent in Valle Grande as a single, tree-covered mound rising from the surrounding grasslands, Cerro La Jara has significant cultural and religious importance to the Hemish people. Hear about the value of observing nature and the changing seasons at La Jara, the name of Douglas fir in the Towa language, and the history of Hemish horse grazing in the area.

Stop 4: Footbath Spring

Footbath Spring is quite acidic with a pH value of between 1.7 and 3. For comparison, lemon juice has a pH of 2.2, and battery acid has a pH of 1. The temperature of this spring has been measured at about 75 degrees F and at 103 degrees F only a few weeks apart.

• We're surrounded by slopes of bleached gravel and soil mostly devoid of vegetation. Ahead of us is the remnant of a wooden structure with a gurgling, acidic spring in front of it. During dry times of year, there may not be any water in this spring, but bubbling mud or hissing geothermal gases escaping from underground.

Stop 5: The Mexican Gray Wolf

Valles Caldera and the Jemez Mountains were once home to the Mexican wolf or “lobo.” Subject to a federal government eradication campaign, rancher John Davenport shot the last wolf on what was then the Baca Ranch in 1932. They were extinct in the wild by 1970. After a successful reintroduction in 1998, Valles Caldera saw a brief return of the Mexican wolf in December 2023. A keystone species in the ecosystem, the wolf is an important animal for the Hemish people.

Stop 5: Tony's Spring

The spring here is called Tony’s Spring or Excavator Spring. It is a hot, bubbling spring with fumaroles surrounding it. According to local legend, this spring was formed when someone (maybe Tony?) dug down in the hillside and hit hot water. The temperature of the spring was measured at 120 degrees F in June of 2024.

Stop 6: Men's Bathhouse Spring

This is Men’s Bathhouse Spring. You can still see part of the wooden structure that remains from when it was used as a sauna. Generally, this spring has limited water and is full of bubbling mud - a mudpot. The gases escaping in the bubbles are hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide. You will likely smell the hydrogen sulfide – it smells like rotten eggs. Mudpots are generally hot and acidic and this one is no exception. The temperature of this spring is about 140 degrees F.

• We're standing at the top of a rocky slope. A pool of thick, white/gray mud bubbles and boils in front of us. Some wood and concrete remnants of an earlier structure are scattered around the spring.

Stop 6: Waavema

One of the most sacred places in the Hemish universe is Waavema, known to most visitors as Redondo Peak. Waavema is critical to the story of Hemish migration to the mountains of northern New Mexico. The eagle created by the aspen trees, meadows, and mixed conifers on the South aspect of Waavema signaled that this place would be the home of the Hemish people. The Thompson Ridge fire of 2013 significantly damaged this motif. As Chris Toya says, “Redondo is life.”

Volcano Discovery Center

• Volcano Discovery Center
• Located on the edge of the historic Cabin District, this log cabin contains interactive exhibits and a sales area offering park-related clothing, gifts, books, and a few snacks and beverages. An accessible ramp is available at the building's rear entrance. The building does not have public restrooms, but there are two portable toilets near the parking lot. One of these is wheelchair accessible.

Welcome Station

• Welcome Station
• The Welcome Station is your first stop at Valles Caldera National Preserve. Rangers and volunteers are available to answer questions, provide park information, and sell park souvenirs and merchandise. Two accessible, unisex, vault-toilet restrooms are available across the parking lot.

• Hike to Sulphur Springs
• Distance: 1 mile (1.6 km) round-trip Duration: 1 hour Pets: Not permitted Elevation: 8,069 - 8,147 feet

• Hike the Rabbit Mountain & Rabbit Ridge Trails
• Distance: 2.9 miles (4.7 km) round-trip Duration: 1-2 hours Pets: Permitted on loop only Elevation: 8,714 - 9,610 feet

• Hike the Northwest Rim Trail
• Distance: 18.6 miles (29.9 km) round-trip Duration: 9-10 hours Pets: Not permitted Elevation: 8,343-10,189 feet

• Hike the Jemez River Trail
• Distance: 3.4 miles (5.5 km) round-trip Duration: 1-2 hours Pets: Not permitted Elevation: 8,406 - 8,573 feet

• Hike the Indios Creek Trail
• Distance: 7.8 miles (12.6 km) round-trip Duration: 4 hours Pets: Not permitted Elevation: 8,568 - 9,494 feet

• Hike the Garita Trail
• Distance: 7.6 miles (12.2 km) round-trip Duration: 3-4 hours Pets: Not permitted Elevation: 8,556 - 10,335 feet

• Hike the Cerro Seco Loop
• Distance: 11.2 miles (18 km) round-trip Duration: 5-6 hours Pets: Not permitted Elevation: 8,394 - 9,706 feet

• Hike the Cerro La Jara Loop
• Distance: 1.4 miles (2.4 km) round-trip Duration: 1 hour Pets: Permitted on leash Elevation: 8,497 - 8,545 feet

• Hike the Cerro del Medio Loop
• Distance: 13.8-miles (22.2 km) round-trip Duration: 6-7 hours Pets: Not permitted Elevation: 8,563 - 9,016 feet

• Hike the Cerro Abrigo Loop
• Distance: 7.2-miles (11.6 km) round-trip Duration: 3-4 hours Pets: Not permitted Elevation: 8,720 - 9,559 feet

• Horseback Riding from the Welcome Station
• Enjoy the beauty of Valle Grande as you trek down the entrance road on your own horse.

• Fish the Upper Jaramillo Creek
• The upper stretch of Jaramillo Creek offers a challenge for anglers with the reward of catching some truly large brown trout. The creek meanders through the lush Valle Jaramillo, which creates pools and overhanging banks for trout to hide in.

• Stargaze Along NM-4
• As an International Dark Sky Park, Valles Caldera National Preserve offers outstanding opportunities for night sky viewing. Visitors are also welcome to experience the night sky on their own at the Valle Grande overlooks along New Mexico State Route 4, which are open 24/7 for public sky viewing. 

• Ski the Cerro La Jara Loop
• This 1.5-mile (2.4 km) ski loop circles Cerro La Jara, the smallest volcanic dome in the park, which formed about 500,000 years ago when lava oozed up and onto the caldera floor.

• Hike the Cabin District Interpretive Trail
• The Cabin District Interpretive Trail is a short and gentle route traversing the historic ranch headquarters for Baca Land & Cattle Company. Interpretive signs along the trail describe each building and its purpose in the ranching operation that persisted here for nearly a century.

• Bike the Valle Grande Loop
• This bike route loops around Valle Grande, providing spectacular views along the entire route.

• Fish the Middle Jaramillo Creek
• Jaramillo Creek is the middle of the three fishable streams in Valles Caldera. The middle section of the creek runs from Cerro Pinon upstream to the Cerro Abrigo Trailhead.

• Take a Self-Guided Auto Tour of Valles Caldera
• This self-guided driving tour leads visitors through Valles Caldera National Preserve's front-country and backcountry road system. As you go, your smartphone will recommend various stops at photo locations, geologic features, and historic structures, all while sharing interesting information about each stop.

• Take the Self-Guided Hemish Connections Audio Tour
• Since the 1100s CE, Valles Caldera has been at the center of Hemish (Pueblo of Jemez) religion, culture, and history. During this self-guided tour, you will hear about the special connections between the Hemish people and the Valles Caldera landscape from Tribal Historic Preservation Officer Christopher Toya, traditional religious leader Brophy Toledo, and cultural resources leaders Byron Andrew and Mark Magdalena.

• Take a Self-Guided Geology Hike Around Cerro La Jara
• This self-guided tour in the National Park Service smartphone app leads hikers around Cerro La Jara, which is Valles Caldera's youngest and smallest lava dome. As you hike, geologist Dr. Linda Pickett will share snippets of fascinating information about the landscape around you and answer the most common questions about the park's geology.

• Take a Self-Guided Tour of the Cabin District
• The Cabin District stands as a reminder of the ranching legacy at Valles Caldera. This self-guided audio tour walks through a day in the life of a ranch worker, stopping by each historic structure and explaining its significance to the ranching operation that persisted here for nearly 100 years.

• Take a Self-Guided Geology Tour of Sulphur Springs
• This self-guided tour in the National Park Service smartphone app leads hikers to Sulphur Springs, a unique geothermal area at Valles Caldera National Preserve. As you hike, refer to your smartphone for recommended stops at mudpots, fumaroles, and hot springs that you may otherwise miss.

• Take a Scenic Drive through Valle Grande
• The Valles Caldera Entrance Road is a scenic, four-mile-long gravel road through the heart of Valle Grande. This drive offers outstanding wildlife viewing opportunities, volcanic vistas, and several places to get out and explore on foot.

• Hike the Valle Grande Exploration Trail
• A 0.8-mile (1.3 km) out-and-back hike into the heart of Valle Grande and a pond on La Jara Creek.

• Hike the Sulphur & Alamo Canyon Loop
• This strenuous, 12.2-mile (19.6 km) trail follows Sulphur Creek, passing through an old sulphur mining area, before turning eastward to skirt beautiful Valle Seco. It slowly climbs the ridge at the edge of Valle Seco before dropping back down Alamo Canyon, passing three geothermal ponds along the way. Best hiked clockwise. GPS required, especially for Alamo Canyon.

• Wildlife Viewing in the Caldera
• Valles Caldera provides excellent habitat for a wide variety of animals, and there are plenty of opportunities for viewing wildlife like elk, bears, prairie dogs, coyotes, and birds.

• Valles Caldera Junior Ranger Program
• Valles Caldera National Preserve currently offers two versions of its Junior Ranger program: an experiential activity booklet designed for in-park completion, and an online program for kids who are unable to visit the park in-person.

• Valles Caldera Junior Angler Program
• Get reeled into fishing with the Junior Ranger Let’s Go Fishing! Booklet.

• Snowshoeing in Valles Caldera
• Winter is a spectacular time to visit Valles Caldera National Preserve. The park has miles of groomed and ungroomed trails for the adventurous snowshoer.

• Hunting in Valles Caldera
• Hunting is a permitted use under the enabling legislation for Valles Caldera National Preserve (Public Law 113-231, Sec. 3043) and can be done in accordance with applicable Federal and State law. The legislation also provides for the designation of zones and periods when no hunting is permitted for reasons of public safety, administration, wildlife management, or public use and enjoyment.

• Horseback Riding in Valles Caldera
• With Valles Caldera's rich ranching history, horses have been part of this landscape for over 100 years. Learn about how to participate in this legacy and ride your horse at Valles Caldera National Preserve today.

• Hiking in Valles Caldera
• Hiking routes within Valles Caldera range from flat strolls through montane grasslands to steep climbs on forested lava domes. As this land was a private ranch for over 150 years, the majority of hiking routes follow old logging and ranching roads. Since Valles Caldera is a relatively new National Park Service site, trails are not well-marked, and most trailheads do not yet have signs. For this reason, it is important for hikers to carry a detailed park map and GPS.

• Hike the San Antonio Mountain Trail
• This strenuous, 11-mile (17.7 km) out-and-back trail heads south from Valle San Antonio, up a narrow drainage, and then steadily climbs as it passes through several beautiful glades before terminating just below the summit of San Antonio Mountain. Good opportunities for wildflowers, especially in spring and fall.

• Fish the East Fork Jemez River
• Easy access to Valles Caldera's premier front-country stream, the East Fork Jemez River, allows anglers to enjoy fishing longer hours and longer seasons in the park.

• Hike the South Mountain Trail
• The South Mountain Trail is an 8.2-mile (13.2 km) out-and-back hike that heads up a narrow valley before climbing, sometimes steeply, up the north side of South Mountain. The trail passes through shady groves of trees before reaching a lovely meadow at the top. Some of the best views of Valle Grande can be had from the summit.

• Cross-Country Skiing in Valles Caldera
• Winter is a spectacular time to visit Valles Caldera National Preserve. The park has miles of groomed trails for the adventurous skier.

• Hike the South Valle Grande Trail
• This pet-friendly, 2-mile (3.2 km) out-and-back trail quickly drops down the southeastern rim of the caldera to reach the edge of Valle Grande, offering sweeping views and excellent opportunities for elk viewing, especially early in the morning or late afternoon/early evening.

A Day on the Ranch: Cabin District Tour

The cabin district stands as a reminder of the ranching past in Valles Caldera. This guided audio tour walks through the average day of a ranch worker, stopping by each historic structure, and explaining its significance to the preserve and the day in the life of a ranch worker.

Birding by Car

Welcome to Valles Caldera National Preserve! During this tour, you will be guided to roadside locations where you can observe birds and other wildlife from the comfort of your car. Each stop will include a short list of bird species that you may spot based on the season. Birding by car is accessible, weather-proof, and fun, so grab your binoculars, and let's get started!

Cerro La Jara Geology Tour

Welcome to the Cerro La Jara Trail at 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. Take some drinking water with you and as always, be aware of your surroundings and the weather. This tour will focus on the geology you see, and help you imagine some you can’t see. To begin, tap "Start Audio Tour" and turn on your location; then proceed to the trailhead.

Hemish Connections Driving Tour

Since the 1100s CE, Valles Caldera has been at the center of Hemish (Pueblo of Jemez) religion, culture, and history. During this tour, you will hear about the special connections between Hemish people and the Valles Caldera landscape from Tribal Historic Preservation Officer Chris Toya, traditional religious leader Brophy Toledo, and cultural resources leaders Byron Andrew and Mark Magdalena.

Sulphur Springs Geology Tour

Welcome to the self-guided Sulphur Springs geology tour! Sulphur Springs is the premier location to witness geothermal activity at Valles Caldera National Preserve. Features like hot and cold springs, mudpots, and fumaroles are common here. During this tour, please watch your step and stay a safe distance from the features. The terrain is rough, and there is currently no designated trail to follow through Sulphur Springs.

Valles Caldera Auto Tour

An auto tour of Valles Caldera National Preserve's front-country and backcountry roads. All visitors are welcome to explore the park's front-country roads (from NM-4 to the Cabin District). Beyond the Cabin District, vehicular access requires a backcountry pass reservation via www.recreation.gov. Passes are limited, so if you wish to complete the backcountry portion of the auto tour, please reserve your backcountry pass in advance.