City of Rocks State Park

City of Rocks State Park was established in 1952, but has long been a tourist destination as evidenced by Fred Harvey postcards dating from the early 20^th century.  The city consists of rock columns or pinnacles, among which one can wander at will. 

The rocks were produced by a very large volcanic eruption about 35 million years ago.  The eruption which lasted for months to years was 1000 times greater than that of the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens.  The heat and weight of the ash during the later period compacted the earlier erupted material into a flat sheet which has been eroded be water and wind along vertical fissures in the rock.  Thus, the formations are all of the same general height.

The City is in the Mimbres Valley, where the Mimbreños lived between 750 and 1250 AD.  Bedrock mortar holes can be seen near one of the campsites.

Trails and Treasures Home Page   Journey to the American Southwest 2003   NM State Parks