This is our most popular summer tour! We'll leave the summer heat behind and head up to the cool mountain air, following the Jemez River as it winds its way through Cañon de San Diego. In this canyon we'll see spectacular red rock mesas towering above us and at the Jemez Pueblo we'll stop at the Walatowa Visitor's Center to learn a little about the history and culture of the Jemez people. We'll then continue up the canyon into Ponderosa pine forest and take the short hike to the beautiful Jemez Falls. Our next stop is the East Fork of the Jemez River, where some scenes from the recent Hollywood movie Wild Hogs were filmed. We'll hike along the river as it winds its way through a beautiful canyon, where we'll be surrounded by granite cliffs and fir and spruce forest. During the summer the meadows along the river are filled with beautiful wildflowers.

Our next stop is the famous Valles Caldera, one of the world's largest volcanic calderas. Over one million years ago this volcano exploded with 50 times the force of Mt. St. Helen and then collapsed back into itself, forming a beautiful valley. The Valles Caldera is situated at an elevation of about 9,000 feet and surrounded by mountains, the highest being Redondo Peak at 11,254 feet. This is one of the most beautiful and peaceful spots in New Mexico and to add to the beauty we'll often see a large herd of elk grazing in the vast expanse of the Caldera.

Optional extra: If you or your group are interested we can also visit nearby Bandelier National Monument on this trip. Located in Frijoles Canyon, this was a thriving Anasazi village 800-1,000 years ago. At Bandelier we'll stop at the visitor center, where there is a museum, gift shop and restaurant, walk through the canyon, see hundreds of ancient Anasazi cliff dwellings and have the opportunity to go inside many of these ancient homes. There will be an extra charge for this side trip.

Best time: May to October

Price: $75.00 per adult

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