<http://schema.org/articleBody>
"  Aden Crater is the most remote and best-preserved volcano in New Mexico&amp;#039;s Potrillo Volcanic Field. Geologists call it a shield cone, meaning that its low, broad shape consists almost entirely of cooled lava flows. Now extinct, Aden last erupted 16,000 years ago, but it remains an amazing road-trip destination. Getting to the Volcano You know a trip will be fun when the directions say, &amp;quot;turn off the paved road.&amp;quot; Eighteen miles of rough dirt road lie between the highway and the narrow track that heads toward Aden Crater. A few days after a rain, low spots in the road turn into mud pits, passable only with a steady foot on the gas and some slipping and sliding. Several miles in, the road cuts across a lava flow, just one arm of the outflow from the volcano&amp;#039;s final eruption, when porous black rock traveled all the way from the crater before cooling. Today, it is overgrown with patches of grass, desert scrub and yucca, but dark rock still shows through the green. After several more miles the road crosses another arm of lava. Just after that intersection, it&amp;#039;s time to turn off the dirt road onto something that you might call a track if you were feeling generous with your definitions. This is not a good place to run out of gas or blow a tire.  The narrow track that runs the next several miles through the desert is rough, and as it approaches the volcano it gets rougher, turning onto a barely discernible trail heading up the lava flow itself toward the slopes of the volcano. This is not a trip for a sedan, but the scenery and the novelty of driving over lava more than make up for the rough ride. Signs along this track warn drivers to stay on the road. The area around Aden Crater is a wilderness study area, and careless tire tracks are harmful to the desert&amp;#039;s complex ecosystem. The usual etiquette of wilderness exploration applies. Welcome to the Volcano The easiest ascent is on the northeast slope\u2014just follow the vehicle tracks. Vehicles with sufficient power and ground clearance might be able to drive all the way up, but the path is also an easy walk. From the top, nearly the full expanse of the lava flow is visible on the flat plain below, sprawling out toward the Union Pacific railroad tracks on the horizon. In the crater, grass and desert scrub have managed to secure footholds and thrive among the crumbling lava rock in large patches, while other areas remain bare, creating a landscape of dark flows and slopes of crumbling brown and black mixed with patches of vibrant green. The edges of the crater tower loom over this landscape, and the outside world is visible only through occasional gaps in the rock walls. Deep fissures of black lava crisscross the crater, some just a few inches wide and others spanning several yards, filled with broken rock and the occasional hapless tumbleweed. The deepest part lies in the southeast corner. It&amp;#039;s a steep-sided crater about 100 feet deep. Surprisingly, the breeze reaches the bottom, where green grass sways amid lava flows and rocky debris. It&amp;#039;s possible to descend the loose rock slope to the bottom, but caution is advised. Another smaller crater lies slightly north of this one. A gentle slope leads about 50 feet up to the rim. Be smart if you decide to travel all the way out to the lonely landscape. That gentle breeze is deceptive, and the desert&amp;#039;s heat can sneak up on unwary explorers. Drink plenty of water and wear sunscreen. Tread carefully on loose rock\u2014if you fall, you are probably on your own. If you go, make sure your vehicle has good tires, high ground clearance and plenty of gas, and try this route. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.popularmechanics.com/adventure/outdoors/a9635/get-out-there-new-mexico-desert-volcano-adventure-16135922/>