Current Conditions

Road Conditions

During the winter season, road conditions in the Jemez Mountains can be treacherous. New Mexico State Route 4 can be snow-packed and icy for days or even weeks at a time, making it difficult to get to Valles Caldera National Preserve.

The New Mexico Department of Transportation offers an online resource that displays real-time road conditions and closures along state highways: NM Roads. Drivers are encouraged to consult this resource before driving to Valles Caldera in the winter months. Park-specific closures, delays, and alerts are posted on our park website and social media pages.

For drivers accessing Valles Caldera from the east (Santa Fe/Los Alamos), please exercise caution at "The Chute," which is the stretch of NM State Route 4 from the South Valle Grande Trailhead to the park's main entrance gate. This stretch of highway is notorious for blowing snow, ice sheets, and snowdrifts. For drivers accessing Valles Caldera from the west (Albuquerque/Jemez Springs), be especially careful from Dark Canyon to the park's main entrance gate.

Fire

National Park Service fire staff from the Pueblo Parks Fire Group are planning to begin winter pile burning operations within the South Mountain, San Antonio, and Cerro Pinyon project areas of Valles Caldera National Preserve beginning on or around Nov. 3, 2025. Burning activities will continue throughout the winter months as weather and fuel conditions allow, and ignitions will occur only when adequate snow cover or moisture is present to ensure safe and effective operations.

The prescribed pile burns are designed to reduce hazardous fuels, promote forest health, and decrease the risk of high-severity wildfires in the future. The piles consist primarily of woody debris generated from previous forest thinning and fuels reduction projects.

During active burning, smoke may be visible from Highway 4, nearby communities, and other areas within and surrounding the Preserve. Fire managers will monitor weather conditions closely and implement strategies to minimize smoke impacts to surrounding communities and roadways.

Public and firefighter safety remain the highest priority during all prescribed fire activities.

Human Health