NPS How would you like to have a huge herd of elk, a million blooming wildflowers, historic and cultural artifacts, and a world-renowned caldera as your classroom? You can have all of these and more when you schedule an education program at Valles Caldera National Preserve. 
Field Trips
Explore our ranger-led and self-guided field trip options. 
Distance Learning
Our education rangers offer virtual classroom visits, too! Program Topics Click each header for a brief description of the topics we can cover during virtual and in-person education programs.
The Jemez Mountains exhibit millions of years of geologic history, from towering peaks to rounded lava domes to the caldera that formed 1.23 million years ago. In our programs, students can learn about the geologic history of the caldera, the diversity of rock formations, and the hydrothermal features that make Valles Caldera such a unique landscape. Naturally-occurring fire is an important component of ecosystem health at Valles Caldera and across the Jemez Mountains, but what went wrong in the 1900s and 2000s to produce megafires like Las Conchas, Cerro Grande, Thompson Ridge, and Cerro Pelado? Our fire ecology programs explore the causes of natural fires, fire adaptations in ponderosa pine trees, and landscape resilience.
Valles Caldera has over 50 species of mammals, 80 species of birds and is even home to 3 endangered species: the Jemez Mountains salamander, Mexican spotted owl, and the New Mexico meadow jumping mouse. Our programs offer students the opportunity to learn about conservation efforts, wildlife behavior, and the rich diversity of animals inhabiting this ecosystem.
Classroom Program Request FormNPS Form 10-1750 (Rev. 04/2021) OMB Control No. 1024-0228 NoticesPrivacy Act StatementAuthority: Public Law 114-289 National Park Service Centennial Act and 54 U.S.C. 100701 Protection, interpretation, and research in System. Purpose: To administer education programs for education audiences including but not limited to school groups, scouting groups, extracurricular groups, and home school groups. Routine Uses: To effectively manage requests for education received by the NPS, the Education Reservation Request Form is used to collect basic education reservation information to facilitate operational aspects of scheduling groups for park education programs, including in-park education programs, ranger in classroom programs, and/or online distance learning programs. Disclosure: Voluntary, however, failure to provide the requested information may impede the ability to grant your education reservation request. Paperwork Reduction Act StatementWe are collecting this information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501) to provide park managers and educators the information needed to schedule and conduct education program activities. All applicable parts of the form must be completed in order for your request to be considered. You are not required to respond to this or any other Federal agency-sponsored information collection unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. OMB has approved this collection of information and assigned control number 1024-0288. Estimated Burden StatementPublic reporting for this collection of information is estimated to average 5 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the Information Collection Clearance Officer, National Park Service, 1201 Oakridge Drive, Fort Collins, CO 80525. Do not send your completed form to this address. |
Last updated: January 31, 2025