Huerfano Butte facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Huerfano Butte |
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 6,174 ft (1,882 m) |
| Prominence | 181 ft (55 m) |
| Geography | |
 Huerfano Butte
Location in Colorado
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| Location | Huerfano County, Colorado, U.S. |
| Parent range | Spanish Peaks area |
| Topo map | USGS 7.5' topographic map Huerfano Butte, Colorado |
| Geology | |
| Mountain type | Volcanic plug or hypabyssal plug |
Huerfano Butte is a cool natural landmark in Huerfano County, Colorado, United States. It's about 14.1 kilometers (or 8.8 miles) north of a town called Walsenburg. This unique hill is actually a special type of rock formation called a volcanic plug.
Early Spanish explorers gave it the name Huerfano, which means "orphan" in English. It stands out by itself, rising about 200 feet above the flat land near the Huerfano River.
Contents
What is Huerfano Butte?
Huerfano Butte is known as a volcanic plug. Imagine a volcano that was active a very long time ago. When it stopped erupting, the magma (hot, melted rock) inside its vent cooled down and hardened. Over millions of years, the softer rock around this hardened core wore away due to wind and water. What was left standing is the tough, solid plug of rock that used to fill the volcano's throat. That's Huerfano Butte!
How it Formed
The rock that makes up Huerfano Butte is a type of igneous rock. This rock formed deep underground from magma that pushed its way up but never reached the surface to erupt. Geologists call this a hypabyssal plug. It's like a fossil of an ancient volcano's plumbing system.
History of Huerfano Butte
Huerfano Butte has been an important landmark for a long time. It was a key spot for early travelers and explorers.
A Trail Marker
A special historical marker has been placed on the east side of Interstate 25. This marker helps people remember that Huerfano Butte was an important point along the Trapper's Trail. This trail was a route used by fur trappers and traders to get to Taos, New Mexico.
Famous Explorers
Two well-known explorers, John Williams Gunnison and John C. Frémont, passed by Huerfano Butte. They were surveying the land to find the best routes for building railroads across the country. The butte helped them navigate and map the area.
Naming Other Places
Because Huerfano Butte was such a noticeable landmark, other places in the area were named after it. Both Huerfano County and the Huerfano River got their names from this distinctive "orphan" butte.
