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Natural Monuments

Valles Caldera National Preserve

Natural Monuments

Valles Caldera National Preserve

Highlight • Volcano

Valles Caldera National Preserve

Name: Valles Caldera National Preserve
Rating: 2

Recommended by 1 road cyclists

This Highlight is in a protected area

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Location: Sandoval County, New Mexico, United States

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Best Road Cycling Rides to Valles Caldera National Preserve

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1. Valles Caldera National Preserve via Los Alamos Valley — Los Alamos

51.6km

02:46

980m

Hard road ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.

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2. Los Alamos via Los Alamos Valley — Jemez Springs

125km

06:23

2,130m

Hard road ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.

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Tips

Vincent Reboul

February 21, 2022

The Valles Caldera, a twenty kilometer wide circular depression, is a geological gem created by a volcanic eruption that took place around 1.25 million years ago.

Today it is a protected area that covers over 39,000 hectares and attracts around 120,000 annual visitors who wish to hike, horseback ride, mountain bike, camp or fish for trout, as well as cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in winter.

Located just 22 kilometers west of downtown Los Alamos, the Valles Caldera National Preserve is also a popular hunting destination, as it claims the second largest elk population in the state, and more 400 wild turkeys live in the reserve from April to December.

Other wildlife, such as prairie dogs, black bears, and golden eagles, also call this wilderness wilderness home.

Translated by Google •

🕊️ 𝑻𝒓𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒓

January 27, 2016

Valles Caldera (or Jemez Caldera) is a 13.7-mile (22.0 km) wide volcanic caldera in the Jemez Mountains of northern New Mexico created by spectacular volcanic eruption of the Southwest's supervolcano about 1.25 million years ago. Hot springs, streams, fumaroles, natural gas seeps and volcanic domes dot the caldera floor landscape. The highest point in the caldera is Redondo Peak, an 11,253-foot (3,430 m) resurgent lava dome located entirely within the caldera. Also within the caldera are several grass valleys [Valle(s)] the largest of which is Valle Grande, the only one accessible by a paved road. Much of the caldera is within the Valles Caldera National Preserve, a unit of the National Park System.
The preserve is known for its huge mountain meadows, abundant wildlife, and meandering streams. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valles_Caldera , nps.gov/vall/index.htm

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Details

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Elevation 2,650 m

Weather

Today

Tuesday 9 December

9°C

-4°C

0 %

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Max wind speed: 18.0 km/h

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Location: Sandoval County, New Mexico, United States

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Valles Caldera National Preserve

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East Fork Trail viewpoint

Valles Caldera National Preserve

1. Valles Caldera National Preserve via Los Alamos Valley — Los Alamos

2. Los Alamos via Los Alamos Valley — Jemez Springs

Other Popular Places to Check Out

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