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Natural Wonders of New Mexico

New Mexico's landscape spans from the 13,161-foot alpine summit of Wheeler Peak to the extensive limestone chambers of Carlsbad Caverns. This collection features the state's most prominent geological landmarks, including the volcanic neck of Shiprock, the stratovolcano of Mount Taylor, and the ancient hoodoos of the Ah-shi-sle-pah Rock Garden. Explore diverse environments ranging from the high-altitude Sangre de Cristo Mountains and the dramatic Brazos Cliffs to the subterranean depths of Slaughter Canyon Cave and the rare wetlands of Hulsey Cienega.

Natural Wonders of New Mexico — Kartta

Nightscream / CC BY-SA 3.0

A

Sandia Crest

The Sandia Mountains are a mountain range located in Bernalillo and Sandoval counties, immediately to the east of the city of Albuquerque…

Skarz / CC BY-SA 4.0

B

Sandia Cave

Sandia Cave, also called the Sandia Man Cave, is an archaeological site near Bernalillo, New Mexico, within Cibola National Forest.

C

Carlsbad Cavern

Part of a UNESCO World Heritage site, this limestone cave features the Big Room, one of the largest underground chambers in North America. It is known for its dense concentration of stalactites, stalagmites, and other complex speleothems.

Tillman / CC BY 2.0

D

Wheeler Peak

Wheeler Peak is the highest natural point in the U.S. state of New Mexico.

JerryFriedman / CC BY-SA 3.0

E

Hermit's Peak

Hermit's Peak is a mountain in San Miguel County, in northern New Mexico, United States.

snowpeak / CC BY 2.0

F

Santa Fe Baldy

Santa Fe Baldy is a prominent summit in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of New Mexico, United States, located 15 mi northeast of Santa Fe.

Fredlyfish4 / CC BY-SA 3.0

G

Mount Walter

Mount Walter is the second highest named summit in the U.S. state of New Mexico, rising to 13,141 feet above sea level.

Beyond My Ken / CC BY-SA 4.0

H

Mount Taylor

An inactive stratovolcano in the San Mateo Mountains reaching an elevation of 11,301 feet. It is one of the four sacred peaks of the Navajo people and is situated within the Cibola National Forest.

I

Shiprock

A 1,583-foot-tall volcanic neck composed of fractured volcanic breccia and igneous rock dikes. Located on the Navajo Nation, this landmark formed approximately 30 million years ago and is a significant cultural site.

J

El Cerro de Los Lunas

A prominent volcanic hill overlooking the Rio Grande Valley. It features multiple hiking trails and is composed of basaltic andesite from eruptions occurring roughly 3.5 million years ago.

K

Slaughter Canyon Cave

A primitive, undeveloped cave within Carlsbad Caverns National Park. Accessible via guided tours, it contains the Monarch—an 89-foot-tall column—and ancient fossilized bat guano deposits.

L

Ah-shi-sle-pah Rock Garden

A section of the Ah-shi-sle-pah Wilderness known for its multicolored badlands, hoodoos, and petrified wood. The landscape consists of San Juan Basin clay and sandstone shaped by millions of years of erosion.

M

Brazos Cliffs

Massive Precambrian granite and quartzite cliffs rising over 2,000 feet above the Brazos River. Located near Chama, these are among the oldest rock formations in the state, dating back 1.8 billion years.

N

Hulsey Cienega

A high-elevation wetland located in the Gila National Forest. This rare southwestern cienega provides critical habitat for migratory birds and local wildlife within the surrounding arid terrain.

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