I have fond memories of visiting El Morro and El Malpais National Monuments with Joan many years ago, and since I was in the area I couldn’t help but wander a new-to-me trail. I stopped by the Visitor Center for recommendations and this loop trail was recommended. The brochure description “From winding trenches that were once glowing rivers of lava to the sloping hills of a long quiet volcano, a geologic wonderland of volcanic features awaits along the El Calderon trail.“
I’m not really a cave person and wasn’t interested in stumbling among volcanic boulders so I enjoyed the interpretative signage and views from the rim.
You can imagine how hot this trail could be.
Splashes of pink caught my attention. I later learned these are a Mock Verbena.
Signage indicated this was a sinkhole and not a cave.
The first part of the trail is pretty flat and wanders through pinon-juniper forests.
Occasionally I was delighted by finding some color, like these Milkvetch or Woolly Locoweed.
Paintbrush
Fleabanes
Evening Primrose
Corydalis
Narrowleaf Puccoon
I’m sure watching 1,000 to 100.000 bats fly out of this cave in the evening would be quite a memorable sight.
I used the NPS app for a self-guided tour.
First view of the caldera.
The trail continues to the rim of the cinder cone. I was glad I chose to take the trail counterclockwise as this long series of steps might have felt a bit more treacherous descending.
Looking back at the steps from the other side of the rim.
View into the caldera from the top.
The third segment of the loop included time wandering through lava fields before finally connecting to the Continental Divide Trail (CDT).
This was a less than 5-mile, 300′ elevation gain/loss loop hike.
Jan's Jaunts and Jabberings 