[1] The oldest lava flows cover about 23 square miles (60km2). Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. We are missing something in our understanding here. The trails highlighted below take you as close as possible to the volcanic cones without causing further resource damage. [11], The largest of the cones in the Albuquerque volcanic field is Vulcan,[12] named after the Roman god of fire. I'll be seein' ya. Experience this 3.2-mile loop trail near Albuquerque, New Mexico. The craters have not been eroded and filled all that much with later non-volcanic material. All of these destructive activities scarred the land. Ages between 160,000 to 200,000 years old are currently the dates that appear most reasonable based on comparison with geomorphic surfaces around the volcanoes and other factors. Pay attention and be carefull. Get this person REMOVED! This is probably a good analogy of what they looked like when they started erupting and before the eruptions centralized on several spots. I am banking on sending the Park Superintendent a Hasta La Vista charm soon. General Geology/Relation to the Rift: Colors vary from green, yellow, orange, to rust. As you walk past JA cone you will see evidence for red-colored scoria and cinder on the lower slopes. Note that the basalt has many gas bubbles or vesicles. Petroglyph National Monument is located along the rocky escarpment. These are clearly visible in the air photo and were erupted on top of the first lava flow you saw on the trail. THis section was exposed during contruction of the Paseo del Norte road cut. It is a vertical cylindrical hole in the lava about 10 cm in diameter. The caves simply record the temperature of Albuquerque "averaged" over a year, which is around 55 degrees F, a temperature that feels warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Seasonal Menu, Location and Hours. How old are they? Here on the south rim one may see many separate layers of spatter that built up as the volcano erupted. Closer examination reveals much more. Comments. Why are the Albuquerque Volcanoes important and unusual? If you look carefully, you can make out the rubbly basalt stuck to the floor of the channel in its last position before everything shut down. Small volcanoes do not reactivate like big volcanoes, but the area around Albuquerque remains potentially active, mainly because of its location in the Rio Grande rift. 5. ", "Hard to believe it appears so desolate just a few miles outside of Albuquerque. The Sangre de Cristo Mountains may be seen on a clear day to the northeast and just east of Santa Fe. 7 doi: 10.1130/abs/2016AM-286572, abstract No. Vol. From the scenic overlook, follow trail north. Notice that Black volcano looks flat-topped from here. Spatter - thin sheets and blobs of magma that cooled rapidly and coat the sides of the cones with a hard crust. Albuquerque Volcanoes Stock Photos, Pictures & Royalty-Free Images - iStock Pricing Boards Video Back Videos home Curated sets Signature collection Essentials collection Diversity and inclusion sets Trending searches Video Network North star Hard hat Billboard Watercolor Georgia football Ripped paper New hire Georgia Pele Popular categories Video Radial, sinuous lava tubes 8 to 20inches across and 300 feet long are preserved on the northeast and northwest flanks of Vulcan.[13][2]. Three Sisters Volcanoes, Unser Blvd, Albuquerque, NM, Trail - MapQuest. If the dike is particularly large and deep, the line of eruption or fissure is long, like the Albuquerque Volcanoes. 3. Volcanic field in the Albuquerque Basin in New Mexico, United States, List of volcanoes in the United States of America, "Basaltic near-vent facies of Vulcan Cone, Albuquerque volcanoes New Mexico", "Volcanoes and related basalts of Albuquerque Basin, New Mexico", "Feature Detail Report for: Butte Volcano", "Feature Detail Report for: Bond Volcano", "Feature Detail Report for: Vulcan Volcano", "Feature Detail Report for: Black Volcano", "Petroglyph National Monument: Geologic Resources Inventory Report", "Petroglyph National Monument: The Volcanoes", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Albuquerque_volcanic_field&oldid=1109184878, Landforms of Bernalillo County, New Mexico, Short description with empty Wikidata description, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Butte Volcano, elevation 5,886 feet (1,794m), Bond Volcano, elevation 5,879 feet (1,792m), Cinder Volcano, elevation 5,902 feet (1,799m), This page was last edited on 8 September 2022, at 13:14. Both sites will give you a close-up view of the welded layers of spatter. 10. Easy trek up to Vulcan, but a bit more challenging toward Black Volcano. This is common in the Southwest. Like most places in the SW, wear sunscreen as there is no shade & bring water. The Rio Grande rift is segmented into a series of basins; the Albuquerque basin being one of them. This is a good place to consider the diversity of rock ages and landscapes in the Albuquerque area, and evidence for past and present geologic forces, all of which are uniquely visible from this single site. Going right will take you north toward Vulcan Volcano and add 2 miles to your hike. This main trail departs from the parking lot and heads east to a scenic view of the Rio Grande Valley, Albuquerque, and the Sandia Mountains. 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Here on the fissure line of the Albuquerque volcanoes you are standing very near the center of the Rio Grande rift. Note pipe vesicles that are inclined in the direction of lava flow. Photo L. Crumpler. In a sense you are looking at a lava stream that was frozen in the channel 200, 000 years ago and has remained that way since. 2. 173-4. Burritos are back Come grab a red, green, or vegan breakfast burrito at @littlebearcoffeecos Nob Hill and Uptown locations! Volcanoes younger than 200,000 years in the Southwest are generally well preserved and with the exception of some erosion of their slopes, look close to the morphology they had immediately after eruptions ceased. The outcrops here are very vesicular, so we are seeing close to the top of uneroded lava flows making up the lower slopes of Black Volcano at this location. To the south, Isleta and Los Lunas volcanoes are visible in the near distance, and beyond them to the southwest, is Sierra Ladron, which is an uplifted block of the old crystalline basement rock similar to the Sandia Mountains. Notice the layers of fluid-looking spatter that have welded together to form solid rock. Class time: Every Monday, starting January 30th, from 5:30-6:30 pm via Zoom Western Pueblos, Navajos, and Apaches believe these landforms were created by spiritual beings who lived in the ancient past. The view from the top of the Black volcano is worth the scramble up - especially during Balloon Fiesta week, where you can watch the balloons from the morning launch if you time it right! The lava flows around Black Volcano and somewhat larger and tended to pond forming a series of steps in the cone slopes. Note the small digitate lava flows radiating from the volcano. This broad, flat and grassy area is known to locals in Albuquerque as "The Three Sisters" or the "Albuquerque Volcanoes". There is no particular evidence that this was new magma moving up a crack. Down here we are off the main cone and on the apron of lava flows. When visiting, arrive at the Visitor Center at Western Tail. While we are up here on this prominent topographic peak, look for fulgarites on some of the boulders surrounding the summit craters. Looking to start 2023 off strong with nutrition and health resources? The cone was much higher in the past but was substantially eroded by mining activity, with the cinder material extracted for use in landscaping, cinder blocks, and railroad beds. Smith, G.A., Florence, P.A., Castrounis, A. D., Luongo, M., Moore, J. D., Throne, J., and Zelley, K., 1999, Basaltic near-vent facies of Vulcan Cone, Albuquerque Volcanoes, New Mexico: New Mexico Geological Society 50th Field Conference Guidebook, Albuquerque Geology, p. 211-219. JA Volcano and the Albuquerque Overlook In the near distance to the northeast is the San Felipe shield volcano on the mesa top above San Felipe Pueblo. The opening has also exposed what may be one of many small discontinuous lava tubes within the lava flows of the Albuquerque volcanic field. Known locally as the Albuquerque Volcanoes or the Three Sisters, they are a classic and rare example of a fissure eruption. The rift starts in the area of the Rio Puerco over the western horizon and goes all the way over to the base of the Sandia Mountains. The distinctive silhouettes of the "Three Sisters" are an Albuquerque landmark, low peaks on the high West Mesa. Throughout the traverse, note how the vesicle size and number change depending on the type of outcrop features. 1. Colors vary from green, yellow, orange, to rust. [10], The three closely spaced southern volcanoes, JA, Black, and Vulcan, are sometimes collectively referred to as the "Three Sisters". In fissure eruptions magma rises along thin cracks in the Earth's crust unlike most volcanoes in which magma rises through a vertical central vent. Bring a bag to pick-up after your dog and dispose of it in the trash receptacle. The lava that flowed out from this volcano probably supplied the lava flows that make up the escarpment lavas visible way off to the east near Unser Boulevard and Rinconada Canyon. Notice that above the opening there is a fragment of pre-existing rock (sandstone) that has been caught up in the eruption. While they are relatively rare, lava gutters appear to be a specialty of the Albuquerque Volcanoes. Lava and ash then erupt from the fissure. Headquarters Administration Offices There are two principal types of basaltic lava in the Southwest: alkali basalt and tholeiite, defined on the basis of the relative abundances of sodium and potassium. When you can't see what you came to visit, there is absolutely NO reason to visit. Volcano Park, Albuquerque offers views, trails, and guided tour. Many of the eruptions in Hawaii are fissure eruptions in which the fissures frequently extend outward from summit craters or calderas. Spring, fall, and winter winds are chilling. Degree of difficulty: Easy to moderate This trail has three shaded rest areas with benches and trash receptacles. The date of its last eruption is unknown, but is believed to have been more than 150,000 years ago. The direction of flow was away from the fissure vent which is visible in this image as an alignment of small cones. There also isn't any shade so plan accordingly. Its base is made of cinder, but the crater contains a lava dome that was cut by an explosive eruption. The Mount Taylor summit amphitheater, much like the one that we will walk through on this trail, opens towards us. The rift at the latitude of Albuquerque encompasses the area between the Rio Puerco over the western horizon and the Sandia Mountains on the east side. Most of the scoria cones and volcanoes in New Mexico and throughout the Southwestern U.S. are the result of smaller fissure eruptions. It was 100 degrees outbut no humidity so it felt like 90. Were so excited to deepen our work in 2023 and find new possibilities through the power and love of local food! Enjoy your visit at the Volcanoes Day Use Area. Insight into small volume volcanic fields in central Rio Grande rift=Albuquerque Volcanoes, New Mexico. That is actually the rim of the summit crater. Judging from these high cliffs at the edge of the lava field, one might also suppose that the volcanoes are old. Various textures in the volcanic rock, from smooth to rough, as well as color variations are due to the lavas mineral content, temperature, and exposure to oxygen. It is located about 7 miles west of the city of Albuquerque, and is contained within the borders of Petroglyph National Monument. In fissure eruptions magma rises along thin cracks in the Earth's crust unlike most volcanoes in which magma rises through a vertical central vent. For decades I have been going here to hike and maybe mountain bike with friends or solo with my dogs. Rather, it is a lesson in the greater volcanic, Dogs are permitted on the trails provided they are on a leash, no longer than 6 feet, at all times. Some methods yield an age closer to 200,000 years. It is also a flattish area, with outward dipping margins, that appears to have provided a source for the lava tube and gutter we just walked past, so this is probably a small vent area or short-lived lava pond. Lava gutters are small lava channels. These are slightly younger and consist of more typical cinders and agglomerate. Many scoria cones in the Southwest are piles of cinder. JA volcano is a perfect example of a cinder/spatter cone with associated lava flows. If the gate is open, you can drive to the second parking lot where the trailhead is located. The actual eruption probably took place over a period of months to years. This is the second rest stop along the trail. Known locally as the Albuquerque Volcanoes or the Three Sisters, they are a classic and rare example of a fissure eruption. Geophys. The Volcanoes Trail. Other volcanic features include: Volcanic ash & cinders - small particles of dried lava that were blown high into the air then fell to the ground like a blizzard of hot, volcanic popcorn. Continue on the trail toward Black Volcano. MLS # 1028228 The Volcanoes Day Use Area provides visitors with a very different experience from the rest of Petroglyph National Monument. data-show-faces="true">, (The following is about the Albuquerque Volcanoes. ", "I have been to the volcanos many times and enjoy it as it was my first. It is called caliche, and is formed by calcium carbonate, similar to the deposits left by hard water around your faucet. Looking at these three volcanos you would think that they would be difficult to master ~ just the opposite. ft. home is a 3 bed, 2.0 bath property. It is located about 7 miles (11km) west of the city of Albuquerque, and is contained within the borders of Petroglyph National Monument. email: nmmnhs.info@state.nm.us, 19992023 New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, a Division of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs, data-href="http://www.nmnaturalhistory.org/node/159" Watch for snakes-your best bet is to stay on the trails. Volcanology: A rift valley is a zone of weakness and thinning in the Earths crust. Petrology/Lithology: The rift valleys of eastern Africa are another example of similar stretching and pulling apart of Earth's crust. The stretching that helped create the Albuquerque Volcanoes has resulted in the development of the Rio Grande rift. Recent human activity in this so called barren landscape has been nearly as violent as the natural forces that created it. [1] The field was active from 190,000 to 155,000 years ago[2] and includes lava flows, cinder cones, and spatter cones. Then there are other places on the larger cones where lava flowed in small gutters perfectly preserved with the last flows on the gutter floors. 7503 Breckenridge Rd NW , Albuquerque, NM 87114-3937 is a single-family home listed for-sale at $260,000. Apparently it is off of Atrisco Vista Blvd. The answer is probably small changes in oxygen gas content causing oxidation in some areas and not in others but this is a question that is still not totally solved by volcanologists. For example, at the largest cone, "Vulcan volcano", the cone consists mostly of scoria and ash, but has a carapice of spatter and lava coating the exterior. 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