Valles Caldera National Preserve

San Antonio Cabin often housed cowboys when the preserve was privately-owned and operating as a ranch.
About 1.2 million years ago, a spectacular volcanic eruption created a 14-mile-wide circular depression in the earth now known as Valles Caldera. The preserve is known for its huge mountain meadows, abundant wildlife, and meandering streams. The area also preserves the homeland of ancestral native peoples and embraces a rich ranching history.
Map showing location of park.
Firefighters monitor a tree that caught on fire after being struck by lightning.
Valles Caldera Fire Management Plan Environmental Assessment Public Comment Period Now Open
The National Park Service (NPS) prepared a fire management plan for Valles Caldera National Preserve and is seeking public input on the plan’s environmental assessment from October 1 through November 3.
Bull elk surveys the surrounding grassland.
Valles Caldera Fall Fiesta 2024 Starts This Saturday
The 2024 Valles Caldera Fall Fiesta starts in just a few days. The nine-day special event kicks off with dozens of tribal artisans, a special presentation from Superintendent Jorge Silva-Bañuelos, and a musical performance by Marlon Magdalena.
Volunteers wearing bright orange safety vests walking along a road and picking up trash.
Celebrate Your Public Lands on September 28
The National Park Service (NPS) invites you to celebrate National Public Lands Day at Valles Caldera National Preserve on Saturday, September 28, 2024.
A male elk standing in a fog-covered grassland.
2024 Elk Hunting Season Underway
The 2024 elk hunting season is underway in Valles Caldera National Preserve. Hunters who received a draw from New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF) for Valles Caldera may be visible in the park.
A tree burning after being struck by lightning.
Valles Caldera to Seek Public Comment on Fire Management Plan Environmental Assessment
The National Park Service (NPS) has prepared a fire management plan for Valles Caldera National Preserve and is seeking public input on the plan’s environmental assessment from September 3 through October 3.
San Antonio cabin under a mostly cloudy sky
Photo by NPS Photo
Two bull elk fighting.
Photo by NPS Photo / Dan Williams
Scattered clouds over landscape view of winding river and brown grasslands
Photo by NPS Photo
Photo of young bobcat looking at the camera
Photo by NPS Photo
Forest floor with three hen turkeys and a tom turkey fanning his tail in display
Photo by NPS Photo
Landscape view with grasses, a pond, fir trees, and a mountain background
Photo by NPS Photo
A rainbow coming down across a grassy valley with a pine tree.
Photo by NPS Photo/Conrad Provan
Aspen tree trunks with golden fall leaf color above
Photo by NPS Photo