Volcanoes Day Use Area Audio Tour Stop 8

The view from the Volcanoes Day Use Area audio tour stop 8.

NPS Photo / Ben Holt

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You have now reached stop 8 of the Volcanoes Day Use Area audio tour. You have walked 1.41 miles or 2.27 kilometers. 

Directly ahead is Vulcan, the tallest volcano in the Monument at 6,033 feet or 1,839 meters. Vulcan has always been a significant part of Albuquerque’s history, likely due to its size and visibility. In the previous stop, we discussed how the volcanoes were impacted by military activities during World War 2.  

After the war, the volcanoes continued to be used by local residents in ways that left lasting, negative effects on the cultural landscape. An example of this are pranksters that attempted to mimic a volcanic eruption. In 1947 and 1950, students piled up tires and burned them on the summit of Vulcan to create the illusion of an eruption which caused panic in the city. However, these pranks lost their potency after repeated attempts.  

From 1951 through 1973, students from the College of St. Joseph on the Rio Grande would hike out to Vulcan to paint a giant white letter J on the eastern face of the cone. This led to the nickname of “J Volcano” or “J Cone”. To this day, the J can still be faintly seen when the natural lighting is just right. 

While these pranks were not done with malicious intent, they still caused lasting damage to the natural and cultural resources before the monument was established in 1990. Furthermore, these incidents reflect a long-running lack of understanding of the spiritual significance of this volcanic landscape. 

Today, the Albuquerque Volcanoes are protected under federal and city laws and regulations as part of Petroglyph National Monument. 

Here the trail splits again. The left branch will take you back to the parking lot in 0.86 miles or 1.38 kilometers. Take the path to the right to continue the audio tour, and you will reach Audio Tour Stop 9 in 0.12 miles or 0.19 kilometers.