Geology of the Sacramento Mountains Region

About this guidebook

Within the Sacramento Mountains and Tularosa Basin region, the diversity and beauty of the desert and mountain scenery is matched only by the large topographic relief and spectacular geology. This geologic guidebook, developed for the 65th annual fall field conference of the New Mexico Geological Society, covers many of the highlights of this region. Road logs begin each day in Alamogordo and describe the geology along the route through the Tularosa Basin and Sacramento Mountains. Routes travel north to Three Rivers, Carrizozo, Nogal, and the Ruidoso area, then east up the rugged escarpment of the southern Sacramento Mountains into the forested heart of the range, finally south to the Orogrande mining district in the isolated Jarilla Mountains, and Oliver Lee Memorial State Park in the Sacramento Mountains. Topics discussed include igneous petrology and volcanic stratigraphy, regional geologic structure and tectonics, Paleozoic and Tertiary stratigraphy, paleontology, geomorphology, speleology, economic geology, mineral resources and mining history, hydrogeology, and many aspects of the fascinating human history of the region. The volume includes detailed road logs incorporating twenty-two mini-papers, as well as seventeen peer-reviewed technical research papers.

This is the 65th in a series of annual guidebooks produced by the New Mexico Geological Society. This and other guidebooks cover large regions of New Mexico, providing a comprehensive geologic resource and road trip education and entertainment for a wide range of audiences beyond just earth scientists.