Seasons and Sights Seen Along Valles Caldera South Rim
Spring
Meadow on Top of Scooter Peak
Meadow at Base of Scooter Peak
A golden grass meadow near the top of Scooter Peak has a far-off view of Peralta Ridge. Scooter Peak is the rounded, heavily-treed dome (second picture) that’s catty corner (southwest) from the trailhead parking for the official Cerro Grande Route. “Scooter” is what the benchmark at the top reads but no one seems to know where the name came from. Don’t expect tremendous views from on top, but if you want a lovely, peaceful place, this is it. In a wet springtime, the small pond in the meadow at the northeast base of Scooter trills with the songs of spring peepers!
Two ways to get up Scooter are to either walk in on the Bandelier National Monument’s Alamo Boundary Trail, off the Dome Road, Forest Road (FR) 289, or on the Valles Caldera National Preserve’s free Coyote Call Hike. On both routes, walk to the pass between Rabbit Ridge and Scooter Peak and then go up an old logging road to the east. When you reach the grassy meadow, there is no real trail but you can work your way, more or less north, to the top.
Redondo from Rabbit Mountain’s Felsenmeer
From the felsenmeer on Rabbit Mountain, don’t you know, it’s Redondo! Views from Rabbit Ridge into the Valles Caldera are breathtakingly aerial. Rabbit Ridge can be accessed from Bandelier National Monument’s Alamo Boundary Trail or from the Valles Caldera National Preserve’s free Coyote Call Hike. Once on the ridge, it’s easy to follow the ridgeline, stopping to take in beautiful views from several small rock fields along the way to Rabbit Mountain.
Looking West from Rabbit Mountain at South Rim
Again, from Rabbit Mountain’s felsenmeer, clockwise, the south rim (left) includes the area between Paso del Norte Road and Los Griegos Mountain. Just to the right of Los Griegos is San Diego Canyon, which is in the southwest corner of the Valles Caldera rim. The Nacimientos are on the furthest western horizon. South Mountain is on the right and the Valles Caldera west rim hides behind it. In front of South Mountain, the Valle Grande is a lake of brown grass with NM-4 swimming at its edge.
Rabbit Mountain and Tschicoma Are Snowy While Valle Grande Is Snow Free
From Rabbit Mountain, Valle Grande with Tschicoma’s snowy triangle framed by bare aspens. This is beautiful country and hiking up Rabbit Ridge is one way to see it in person. The best part is that you can go up the Valles Caldera National Preserve’s free Coyote Call Hike to Rabbit Ridge and you don’t need to make a reservation or ask anyone’s permission!
The East Rim from Rabbit Ridge
The views from Rabbit Mountain are vast and include the northeast and east rims of Valles Caldera. In the immediate foreground is the continuation of Rabbit Ridge, as it arcs to the north with Cerro Grande and Pajarito Mountain being just above it. Valle Grande and Cerro del Medio are in middle foreground. The Rincon de los Soldados is inside the little hooked arm of Cerro del Medio. The northeast Valles Caldera rim is the line of domes that lie between Tschicoma and Cerro del Medio.
Summer
Rabbit Ridge from Valle Grande Staging Area
Rabbit Mountain and ground fog from Valle Grande Staging Area
Rabbit Ridge-Rabbit Mountain with early morning ground fog that will burn off quickly as the sun rises but makes everything magical while it’s there. The “notches” in the tree cover on top of Rabbit Ridge are where small rock fields are located that provide great views into the caldera. These photos were taken from Valle Grande Staging Area, looking toward NM-4.
Valles Caldera Southeast and South Rim: Rabbit Mountain and Scooter Peak
To the northeast of Rabbit Mountain, 3029 meters (9938'), is the summit of Scooter Peak, 2957 meters (9701').
The Alamo Boundary Trail is located in the meadows of the upper Alamo Canyon headwaters area between Rabbit Mountain-Rabbit Ridge and Scooter Peak. Bandelier National Monument acquired the Upper Alamo Canyon watershed in 2000 when the Baca Location was purchased by the federal government. The Alamo Boundary Trail opened to the public on September 10, 2005, the same day that the Cerro Grande Route opened. It was a momentous day for outdoor enthusiasts who had waited for almost 30 years to set foot legally on the beautiful southern portion of the Valles Caldera rim.To get precise directions to the Alamo Boundary and the Coyote Call trails, please see Craig Martin's book, Los Alamos Trails.
Special thanks to Donald and Dorothy Hoard for their encouragement and help on this project.
Spring
Meadow on Top of Scooter Peak
Meadow at Base of Scooter PeakA golden grass meadow near the top of Scooter Peak has a far-off view of Peralta Ridge. Scooter Peak is the rounded, heavily-treed dome (second picture) that’s catty corner (southwest) from the trailhead parking for the official Cerro Grande Route. “Scooter” is what the benchmark at the top reads but no one seems to know where the name came from. Don’t expect tremendous views from on top, but if you want a lovely, peaceful place, this is it. In a wet springtime, the small pond in the meadow at the northeast base of Scooter trills with the songs of spring peepers!
Two ways to get up Scooter are to either walk in on the Bandelier National Monument’s Alamo Boundary Trail, off the Dome Road, Forest Road (FR) 289, or on the Valles Caldera National Preserve’s free Coyote Call Hike. On both routes, walk to the pass between Rabbit Ridge and Scooter Peak and then go up an old logging road to the east. When you reach the grassy meadow, there is no real trail but you can work your way, more or less north, to the top.
Redondo from Rabbit Mountain’s FelsenmeerFrom the felsenmeer on Rabbit Mountain, don’t you know, it’s Redondo! Views from Rabbit Ridge into the Valles Caldera are breathtakingly aerial. Rabbit Ridge can be accessed from Bandelier National Monument’s Alamo Boundary Trail or from the Valles Caldera National Preserve’s free Coyote Call Hike. Once on the ridge, it’s easy to follow the ridgeline, stopping to take in beautiful views from several small rock fields along the way to Rabbit Mountain.
Looking West from Rabbit Mountain at South RimAgain, from Rabbit Mountain’s felsenmeer, clockwise, the south rim (left) includes the area between Paso del Norte Road and Los Griegos Mountain. Just to the right of Los Griegos is San Diego Canyon, which is in the southwest corner of the Valles Caldera rim. The Nacimientos are on the furthest western horizon. South Mountain is on the right and the Valles Caldera west rim hides behind it. In front of South Mountain, the Valle Grande is a lake of brown grass with NM-4 swimming at its edge.
Rabbit Mountain and Tschicoma Are Snowy While Valle Grande Is Snow FreeFrom Rabbit Mountain, Valle Grande with Tschicoma’s snowy triangle framed by bare aspens. This is beautiful country and hiking up Rabbit Ridge is one way to see it in person. The best part is that you can go up the Valles Caldera National Preserve’s free Coyote Call Hike to Rabbit Ridge and you don’t need to make a reservation or ask anyone’s permission!
The East Rim from Rabbit Ridge The views from Rabbit Mountain are vast and include the northeast and east rims of Valles Caldera. In the immediate foreground is the continuation of Rabbit Ridge, as it arcs to the north with Cerro Grande and Pajarito Mountain being just above it. Valle Grande and Cerro del Medio are in middle foreground. The Rincon de los Soldados is inside the little hooked arm of Cerro del Medio. The northeast Valles Caldera rim is the line of domes that lie between Tschicoma and Cerro del Medio.
Summer
Rabbit Ridge from Valle Grande Staging Area
Rabbit Mountain and ground fog from Valle Grande Staging AreaRabbit Ridge-Rabbit Mountain with early morning ground fog that will burn off quickly as the sun rises but makes everything magical while it’s there. The “notches” in the tree cover on top of Rabbit Ridge are where small rock fields are located that provide great views into the caldera. These photos were taken from Valle Grande Staging Area, looking toward NM-4.
Valles Caldera Southeast and South Rim: Rabbit Mountain and Scooter PeakTo the northeast of Rabbit Mountain, 3029 meters (9938'), is the summit of Scooter Peak, 2957 meters (9701').
The Alamo Boundary Trail is located in the meadows of the upper Alamo Canyon headwaters area between Rabbit Mountain-Rabbit Ridge and Scooter Peak. Bandelier National Monument acquired the Upper Alamo Canyon watershed in 2000 when the Baca Location was purchased by the federal government. The Alamo Boundary Trail opened to the public on September 10, 2005, the same day that the Cerro Grande Route opened. It was a momentous day for outdoor enthusiasts who had waited for almost 30 years to set foot legally on the beautiful southern portion of the Valles Caldera rim.To get precise directions to the Alamo Boundary and the Coyote Call trails, please see Craig Martin's book, Los Alamos Trails.
Special thanks to Donald and Dorothy Hoard for their encouragement and help on this project.