a valley above

Valles Caldera National Preserve hosts one of the most impressive open meadow spaces amid high altitude forests and peaks of 8,000 to 12,000 feet. It is located in the Jemez Mountains of north-central New Mexico.

This 88,900-acre park encompasses almost all of the volcanic caldera created by a spectacular volcanic eruption about 1.2 million years ago. The caldera is dormant, but not extinct, and still displays signs of volcanic life with hot springs and boiling sulphuric acid fumaroles.

The drive through State Road 4 south of the Caldera and Redondo Peak meanders through camp sites, trailheads, and vista points. I parked to have lunch while overlooking the tree line.

The descending environment transmogrified as the forest opened up to miles of grassland sculpted by magma and explosions millennia ago….

… and finally the arrival into the valley. I got out of my car and hiked around in the open plain for several hours. It was in the high 90s at the beginning of the drive at lower altitude, cooling about 20 degrees to a more temperate climate.

Valleys are often used as a way of describing the lowest points on a path. In this case, it was elevated above areas around the Preserve, serving as a unique ecosystem for life, as well as a place of reflection. What if we were able to see our valleys the same? Although they are often discomforting, there is a teaching role they play on roads traveled.