Lunar landscape via New Mexico Volcanoes

This picture was taken along the road that leads to the iconic Capulin Volcano at the US Park Services National Monument of the same name.













Capulin Volcano is located roughly near Des Moines, NM, which is pretty much right next to nothing you've ever heard of.


The closest town in Oklahoma is actually only 75 miles away from the volcano.  But Kenton, OK, is also near the OK state line you've likely never crossed...the one that borders New Mexico.  When you leave Kenton headed west, it's not long before you run into dirt road (4x4 only in bad weather) and that then carries you further into New Mexico.

I've loved every visit to Capulin Volcano and once was able to make the one mile hike around the rim.  It's an obscure, but wonderful off-the-beaten-path sort of destination - my favorite kind.

If you are headed to Colorado Springs from Oklahoma, I highly recommend taking the volcano route (Amarillo | Dalhart | Clayton | Raton) since it costs you next to nothing in drive time but affords you lots in beautiful scenery.



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And as a bit of travelogue...

The view as you head west out of Oklahoma from Kenton.

The paved trail on the volcano and expansive view afforded from the same.

View from the top.  You can see the parking lot at the bottom right of the first pic and over my right shoulder in the second pic.

Morro Rock and Morro Bay - Los Osos, CA

I already know I'm a sucker for el agua, but I love this place.  It's nice to have a customer located in the same town as Morro Bay.  I probably should visit them again soon and often.

Tioga Lake east of Yosemite National Park

Beautiful Tioga Lake is located just a few hundred yards outside the much less visited eastern entrance to Yosemite National Park.  Actually, there are a series of lakes along Tioga Pass Road, each as clear as this one.  Tioga Pass, which peaks at about 9900 feet above sea level, is the highest mountain pass in all of California.  It is a phenomenal drive through and along a deep canyon carved by Lee Vining Creek.  Tioga Pass Road is one of only a few roads to actually cross the Sierra Nevada range from one side to the other and generally closes with the first snow in the winter.

This particular drive is not for the faint of heart, however, in that there are no guard rails or curbs to protect the inattentive driver attempting to drink up the incredible views.  Regardless, it's considered one of the great drives in California and for very good reason.

Double Arches Panorama @ Arches National Park, Utah

This panorama is made up of 12 individual images and is over 40mb in full resolution.  The sheer scale of this natural wonder is lost unless you can see some of the people under the arch.  It. Is. Incredible.