Geology in New Mexico

Discover 24 places to experience unusual geology in New Mexico.

Entrance to the cave.

Grants, New Mexico

Ice Cave and Bandera Volcano

A frozen oasis lies beneath the scorching New Mexico desert.

The whole of Teakettle Rock

Jemez Springs, New Mexico

Teakettle Rock

A strange sandstone formation in the middle of nowhere presents an interesting climbing opportunity.

Large panel of diverse figures on several basalt boulders.

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Petroglyph National Monument

Thousands of pieces of art have been carved into the rock at the site of an ancient volcanic eruption.

The Goblin Colony

Ponderosa, New Mexico

The Goblin Colony

On the edge of the Valles Caldera National Preserve, these rock formations create an eerie landscape.

Triceratops and Tyrannosaurus

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Calabacillas Arroyo Artificial Fossils

From a T-rex to a teapot, a cast of artificial fossils illustrates New Mexico's history.

The sign for the iridium layer, located next to the exposed rock.

Raton, New Mexico

Raton Iridium Layer

This unassuming layer of clay boasts an out-of-this-world origin story.

Closer view of the Soda Dam.

Jemez Springs, New Mexico

Jemez Springs Soda Dam

The 7,000-year-old calcium carbonate formation creates a magnificent natural bridge.

Woodpecker Arch from the east.

Ramah, New Mexico

Woodpecker Arch

This bird-shaped rock formation defies gravity, time, and classification.

Shatter cones in the Santa Fe impact structure.

Santa Fe, New Mexico

Santa Fe Shatter Cones

The shattered remnants of a meteor that struck Santa Fe more than a billion years ago.

Capulin Volcano

Des Moines, New Mexico

Capulin Volcano

This volcano rises like a giant anthill from the plains below, with a road spiraling up to the rim.

Closeup view from pathway.

Santa Fe, New Mexico

Camel Rock

A natural formation that resembles a camel resting in the New Mexico desert.

Cabezon Peak

Cabezon Peak

This towering volcanic plug stands out among the dramatic formations that dot this otherworldly desert valley.

Three Rivers Petroglyph Site.

Tularosa, New Mexico

Three Rivers Petroglyph Site

More than 21,000 images fill this overlooked gem of a prehistoric site.

The landscape is pure geological eye candy.

Bloomfield, New Mexico

Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah Wilderness Study Area

The land is full of geologic eye candy, such as otherworldly spires, mushroom-shaped hoodoos, and prehistoric fossils.

Crow Canyon Petroglyphs.

Farmington, New Mexico

Crow Canyon Petroglyphs

One of the American Southwest's most extensive collections of Navajo rock art.

The Iron Cross.

Roswell, New Mexico

POW Iron Cross

The symbol was surreptitiously built into the river bank by German prisoners of war.