Standing Inside an Ancient Volcano

A look behind the lens at one of New Mexico’s quietest giants, the Valles Caldera.

Welcome to the new readers who’ve subscribed recently, I’m glad to have you here! Each post is a look behind the lens: part story, part field note, part quiet moment in nature. This one comes from a place that completely stopped me in my tracks, a high mountain valley that was once a volcano. Valles Caldera.

The first thing that hits you about the Valles Caldera is the scale, a vast, circular valley ringed by forested domes and shifting clouds, so wide it feels like standing in the palm of the Earth.

Herds of elk move slowly across the meadow, looking like tiny specks in the distance. It’s hard to imagine that this peaceful expanse was once molten fire, a massive volcanic eruption tore open this land 1.25 million years ago. Today, what’s left is serenity: a basin carved by time, perfectly manicured by nature’s hand.

Access beyond the historic cabin district requires a backcountry pass. After stopping at the entrance and speaking with a ranger, we decided to venture in. I was determined to find a good fishing spot with moving water and maybe a few trout, but the streams were quiet. Not much in the way of fish activity, just the gentle ripple of wind across the water and the sound of grass brushing against me.

Valles Caldera feels strangely familiar. The landscape echoes the surroundings outside my home in South Park, Colorado, the same high-altitude light, the same open horizons where sky and land blur together.

By late afternoon, clouds rolled in and the light turned golden over the basin. I watched as the valley shifted through shades of green, amber, and gold, the elk returning to graze in the distance.

The Caldera is simply one of the most beautiful valleys I’ve ever seen, a reminder that even the Earth’s most violent past can give way to quiet perfection.

Until next time,

Alan Stenback