Wildfires Transform Valles Caldera
NOT FAR BEHIND the ranger station, the forest ends. Sunlight floods over grasses, wildflowers, and burnt trunks still standing after the most recent wildfire. The 2013 Thompson Ridge Fire charred the…
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Tag: Valles Caldera National Preserve
Engage with Valles Caldera Events
FOOTSTEPS CRUNCH ON a patchy crust of snow as Ranger Adam Dean hikes out to the sunny side of Cerro La Jara, one of the tree-shrouded lava domes in the caldera. He follows a trail visible only as a…
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Valles Caldera Provides Fertile Research
THE JEMEZ MOUNTAINS SALAMANDER grows to all of three inches long and hides under fallen logs and rocks, where moist soil allows it to breathe through its skin. For nearly a decade, Nancy Karraker, a…
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Melissa Fu Tells the Caldera's Story
A LTHOUGH LOS ALAMOS native Melissa Fu moved to the United Kingdom 18 years ago, she says she’s “always plotting” ways to return home. In September, the author joined the inaugural artist-in-residence…
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Let the Valles Caldera Inspire You
RESIDENT ARTISTS The artists-in-residence program hosts six artists from mid-May through late October. Each one runs at least one public event. In 2024, offerings included nature journaling, drawing…
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Year-Round Scenic Trails at Valles Caldera
AVID HIKER COCO RAE started volunteering at the Valles Caldera National Preserve in 2018, just as staff began identifying and creating a guide to its trail system. Some of her volunteer time went to…
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Editor's Letter: Long Views
“IT’S ALMOST LIKE a meditation,” says Ranger Corey Lycopolus, as members of our group pause to compose photos with their Polaroid instant cameras. We’ve hiked about a half mile from the Valles Caldera…
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A Jemez Pueblo Victory
I N 2012, Jemez Pueblo tribal and religious leadership filed a lawsuit to reclaim the Valles Caldera as their aboriginal and most sacred lands. In October 2024, a settlement between the National Park…
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Find Vast Opportunities at Valles Caldera
WHEN JORGE SILVA-BAÑUELOS showed National Park Service staff the 40-acre parcel of Sulphur Springs land he wanted to add to the Valles Caldera National Preserve, they were more than a little hesitant…
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Where to Travel According to Your Zodiac Sign
SEEKERS HAVE COME to the Land of Enchantment to find themselves for centuries. Perhaps as a result, New Mexicans have picked up a reputation for dabbling in what some might call woo-woo…
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