Closed due to Covid AND road repair. Kasha-Katuwe is located on the Pajarito Plateau, at an elevation of 5700-6400 feet above sea level. Like most of the region, the volcanic activity that formed the Jemez Mountains sculpted the peculiar landscape. #geology #NewMexico #volcanic 
The Jemez volcanic field has been active for the past 15 million years. It formed at the intersection of the Rio Grande rift and the Jemez lineament, an ancient northeast-trending fault line that has been a locus of volcanism for the last 10 million years.
#armchairtravel
#armchairtravel
The Valles Caldera is the 3rd largest super volcano in the U.S. It sits on top of an older caldera, the Toledo caldera, which may be on top of an older caldera. The calderas were formed during voluminous eruptions in the Jemez volcanic field 1.61 - 1.25 million years ago.
Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument is SE of the caldera. The massive eruption from the Valles Caldera buried the surrounding landscape in layers of debris, pumice and small rock fragments called tuff settled across the landscape for miles beyond the caldera. #virtualtravel
Boulders the size of a car mixed in with the smaller debris, weighing down the underlying mix of sediment. The weight compacted the strata into a crumbly matrix rock that resembles a cement mixture. It is malleable, easily sculpted by wind and water. #geologygeek #NewMexico
Many of the layers are light colors, which is the basis of the monument’s Keresan name. Over time, weathering and erosion carved slot canyons and tent rocks. Great place to hike...when they are open. They are closed due to Covid. One important detail...they don't allow dogs.
