Vermejo Park

About this guidebook

Welcome to the New Mexico Geological Society’s twenty-seventh consecutive annual fall field conference. This year we have the unique good fortune of participating in the first geologic field trip to penetrate the mysterious hidden recesses of Vermejo Park. This area, starting out as part of a Spanish Land Grant, has been continuously in private ownership and, as such, has never before been open to the general public. Through the good offices of Chuck Pillmore, Road Log Chairman, and the kind indulgence of Pennzoil Corporation, current owner of the property, and Kaiser Steel Corporation, this trip was made possible. The first day road log is from Las Vegas to Raton via Montezuma, Sapello, La Cueva (and vicinity), Ocate, Wagon Mound and Springer. The second day road log is from Raton to Underwood lakes through the Raton Coal Filed via the York Canyon Mine, Vemejo Park and Gold Creek. This route proceeds on the York Canyon mine road NM-555, from Raton through the Tertiary coal-bearing rocks of the Raton coal field to Vernejo Park, into an overturned section of the Mesozoic, and finally to the Tertiary volcanic rocks of the Underwood volcanic field.The third day road log is from Raton to Adams and Bartlett Lakes, Vermejo Park, New Mexico, through Trinidad Coal Field and Tercio Anticline, Colorado; return via Van Bremmer Canyon and Colfax, New Mexico.