Jornada del Muerto Volcano facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jornada del Muerto Volcano |
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View north across the malpaís lava field to the Jornada del Muerto Volcano splatter cones
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 5,137 ft (1,566 m) NAVD 88 |
| Naming | |
| English translation | Dead Man's Route |
| Language of name | Spanish |
| Geography | |
 Jornada del Muerto Volcano
Location in New Mexico
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| Location | Socorro County, New Mexico, U.S. |
| Topo map | USGS Harriet Ranch |
| Geology | |
| Age of rock | 760,000 years |
| Mountain type | Basaltic shield volcano, volcanic field |
| Last eruption | 760,000 years |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Scrambling over rough ʻaʻā lava |
The Jornada del Muerto Volcano is a small, wide volcano and a large area covered by old lava flows, found in central New Mexico. It's about 10 by 15 miles (16 by 24 km) (16 by 24 km) in size and reaches a height of 5,136 feet (1,565 m) (1,565 m). The name "Jornada del Muerto" comes from Spanish and means "Dead Man's Route." This name refers to a tough, old trail from the colonial era that went through this rough, lava-covered area.
Contents
Where is the Jornada del Muerto Volcano?
This volcano and its lava field are located in the northern part of the Jornada del Muerto Desert. This desert is a large, flat area surrounded by mountains. To the east, you'll find the Oscura Mountains and San Andres Mountains. To the west are the Caballo Mountains and the Fra Cristóbal Range.
What is the Jornada del Muerto Volcano Like?
The Main Volcano and Its Cones
The main opening of the volcano, called a vent, is a bit to the east of the center of all the lava flows. It rises about 150 feet (46 m) (46 m) high. This forms a wide, noticeable cone that is about 1 mile (1.6 km) across.
Inside this larger cone, there are several smaller cones called spatter cones. These are made from blobs of lava that cooled quickly. Between these spatter cones, you can find areas where lava once pooled. On the south side, the innermost spatter cone stands almost 90 feet (27 m) (27 m) above these old lava pools. It surrounds a perfectly round crater that is 245 feet (75 m) (75 m) wide and about 30 feet (9.1 m) (9 m) deep.
The Huge Lava Field
The Jornada del Muerto Volcano erupted about 760,000 years ago. During this time, it released many flows of basaltic lava. This lava was thick and moved slowly, creating a very rough and uneven surface. This type of lava is called ʻaʻā lava. Because of its rough surface, it's very hard and dangerous to travel across this area, and it takes a long time.
The volcano produced about 3 cubic miles (13 km3) (12.5 cubic kilometers) of lava. These lava fields cover a huge area, more than 170 square miles (440 km2) (440 square kilometers).
The biggest lava flow starts in the southeastern part of Socorro County, New Mexico and stretches into Sierra County, New Mexico. Today, this lava flow forms the eastern bank of the Rio Grande river, from Fra Cristóbal north to Fort Craig. When the volcano first erupted, this massive lava flow actually blocked the Rio Grande river for a while!
Images for kids
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View north to the malpaís lava field and a spatter cone
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View south towards the nested splatter cones
