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THE ROCKS AND LANDSCAPE OF
A FAMOUS NEW MEXICO RANCH
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 505
PROPERTY OF

PUBLIC' M:-FICE

U . S . E-',ECILOC-jlr,-%L SURVEY

ANCHORAGE, ALASKA
F ROPERTY OF
PUBLIC INQUIRIES OFFICE
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA
THE ROCKS AND LANDSCAPE OF
A FAMOUS NEW MEXICO RANCH
By G. D. Robinson, A . A. Wanek,
W. H. Hays and M . E . McCallum
Illustrated
by
John R. Stacy
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 505
The geologic story of the last billion
eventful years in the Philmont Ranch
region, where the Cimarron Range
rises from the High Plains
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1964
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
STEWART L. UDALL, Secretary
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
Thomas B. Nolan, Director
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S . Government Printing Office
Washington, D.C . 20402 - Price $3.75 cents (paper cover)
�
FOREWORD
This book is an informal account of the geology of the Philmont Ranch
quadrangle, where the Southern Rocky Mountains meet the Great Plains in
northeastern New Mexico .
From time to time the U.S . Geological Survey publishes nontechnical
accounts of the geology of places visited by large numbers of people, such as
the National Parks and Monuments . The Philmont Ranch quadrangle is
such a place . Its stirring scenery and romantic past attract many thousands
of visitors each year, and thousands more discover it as they travel to better-
known Taos and Santa Fe on U.S . Highway 64 . Moreover, half the quadrangle
is occupied by the Philmont Scout Ranch, which is visited by several thousand
adults annually for training in Scout leadership, and by many thousands of
Explorer Scouts each summer for protracted camping expeditions . The quad­
rangle is part of a region that, because of its known and potential mineral
wealth, has been under investigation by the Geological Survey for many years .
Some of the technical data thus assembled are here recast in a form that we
hope will be of interest and use to those who visit the area .
A, A_41~
THOMAS B. NOLAN
Director, U.S. Geological Survey
CONTENTS
Page Page Page
What this book is about------- 1 A closer view-Continued Subsurface geologic processes at
A bird's-eye view : the Philmont Rocks of the rugged moun­ work-Continued
landscape---___________ 4 tains-Continued Philmont in three dimensions- 117
Landforms_________________ 4 Garnet schist
------------- 56 Uplift---------------------- 118
Water on the land : creeks and Quartzite-----------------
56 Injections of molten rock----- 120
lakes____-------__________ 12 Diorite porphyry
---------- 56 Volcanic eruptions__-_____-__ 124
Climate______--____________ 19 Pink granodiorite--______--
57 Ground water in folded rocks :
A closer view : the rocks, fossils, Yellow and gray quartz
artesian water?__--___---__ 124
and water beneath the land- 21 sandstone
-------------- 60 Shaping the landscape--------- 128
Rocks beneath the plains_____ 23 Red sandstone andconglom­
The network of streams------ 128
Gravel and sand__________ 23 erate------------------- 60 The special history of Cim­
Black shale and orange Red shale andblack shale--- 67 arron Creek_________-__ 131
shale______-___---______ 26 Limestone conglomerate--__ 67 The high benchlands---______ 131
Gray limestone------------ 31 Basalt
------------------- 67 The northern benchlands_-- 131
Dark mica-rich lampro­ Red bomb beds
----------- 71 Deer Lake Mesa : hollowed
phyre__________________ 31 Pepper-and-salt diorite____-
71 by the wind?-____-_____ 135
Brown andesite----------- 35 Rubble
------------------- 72 The southern benchlands,
Rocks of the benchlands----- 35 Ore deposits? ------------- 72 their meadows and lakes- 136
Yellow sandstone and con­ Thoughts about rocks
-------- 74 The lowland plains ---------- 137
glomerate _____-________ 35 Water in the ground : the lake
Waterfalls and mountain
Light-gray sandstone______ 36 beneath us --------------- 75 meadows----------------- 138
Shale-------------------- 36 A cake of many layers : the rock Therugged mountain country- 139
Dark basalt_________-____ 40 sequence ------------------- 78 Hummoeky hillsides : fossil
Dacite porphyry ---------- 40 Putting the rocks on paper: nam­ landslides ---------------- 140
Andesite---______________ 41 ing and mapping formations-­ 90 Glaciers?---_____---_____--- 143
When was this cake made?----- 92
Coal__-__________________ 41 Landscapes of the past ______- 143
Missing layers ---------------- 97
Rocks of the hummocky hill- Subsurface geologic processes at Restless mountains, restless
sides___----______________ 46 work_____________________ 99 plains : the geologic history of
Philmont----______----__--- 144
Rocks of the rugged moun­ Measuring the tilt of beds---- 100
tains__________________- 49 Deformed layers : tilted and Exit wondering--------------- 148
Spotted dacite porphyry-­ 50 folded rocks-------------- 101 Suggested reading--_____------ 150
Striped gneiss and schist--- 51 Deformedlayers : broken rocks- 108 Aboutthis book --------------- 151
PLATES
[Plates are in pocket]
1 . The Philmont landscape : a bird's-eye view .
2. The parade of Philmont rocks.
3. Geologic map of the Philmont Ranch region, New Mexico .

4. Geology of Philmont : a bird's-eye view .

5. Geologic sections of the Philmont Ranch region, New Mexico .

6. Geologic structure of Philmont .
�
FIGURES

[Photographs of rocks and fossils from beyond Philmont are indicated by ']
Page Page
1. Where the Rockies rise from 15 . Waterfall on Rayado Creek tives of cuttlefish and
the Plains : the setting of near Crater Peak . Pho­ squids . *Photographs by
the Philmont Ranch re- tograph by Dan Hawk- R. E. Burkholder------
gion__________________- 2 ins_________-__________ 14 28 . Fossils from black shale
2. Kit Carson's home, now a 16 . Broad valley
of Cimarron (Pierre Shale) . A, *Pho­
museum, near the old Creek on plains east of the tograph by R. E. Burk­
Santa Fe Trail in south- mountain front. Photo­ holder ; B, photograph by
eastern Philmont . graph by J. R. Stacy--__ 15 E. F. Patterson--___----
Photograph by E. F. Pat- 17 . Pebbles and cobbles of sand­ 29 . Orange shale (from Pierre
terson----------------- 5 stone and dacite por­ Shale) . A, Photograph
3. Philmont from the east . phyry-a rock like gran­ by Charles Fiola; B, pho­
Photograph by J. R. ite-from the bed of tograph by Anthony Den­
Stacy ----------------- 6 Cimarron Creek near son ; C, *photograph by
4. Rough, hummocky hillsides Cimarron town . Photo- E. P. Krier------______
south of U.S . Highway 64 . graph by M . E. Mc- 30 . Limestone another kind of
Photograph by J. R. Callum______--________ 15 hardened mud (Fort Hays
Stacy----------------- 6 18 . Sha
rp-edged chunks of rock Limestone Member) . A
5. Looking north up valley of
(Trinidad Sandstone) and B, Photographs by
Ute Creek to Baldy
that have recently fallen J. R. Stacy ; C, photo­
Mountain . Photograph
into the bed of Ponil graph by E. P. Krier___-
by E. F. Patterson------ 8
Creek. Photograph by 31 . Lamprophyre. A, Photo­
6. Horseshoe mine, beside U.S .
J . R. Stacy_____________ 16 graph by E. F. Patterson ;
Highway 64 where it
19 . Typical junction of streams. B, photograph by Charles
crosses the west edge of
Photograph by E. F. Pat­ Fiola ; C, photograph by
Philmont . Photograph E. P. Krier__-______---
terson____________-____ 17
by J. R . Stacy_________- 3
2 . Light-colored andesite in
7. On mesa above Old Dean 20 . Natural lakes of Philmont . dark shale (Pierre Shale)
Trail Camp. Photograph Photographs by J. R. on State Highway 21 .
by J. R. Stacy__-_____-- 9 Stacy___-__----______- 18 Photograph by E. F.
8. Steplike terraced plains in 21 . Death of a lake___________ 20 Patterson--__---______-
southeastern Philmont . 22 . Gravel and sand : mementos 33 . A closer look at andesite .
Photograph by J. R. of ancient floods . Photo- A, Photograph by Charles
Stacy_________________ 9 graphs by J. R. Stacy--- 22 Fiola; B, photograph by
9 . Rugged mountain country
23 . Gravel mounds made by E. P. Krier--__-______-
in west-central Philmont
gold dredges along Ute 34 . Yellow sandstone and con­
viewed from Cimarron
Creek. Photograph by glomerate (Poison Can-
cito Base Camp . Photo- E.
F. Patterson_________ 24 yon Formation) deposited
graph by E. F. Patterson- 10
24 . Baldy town in 1939 and in by ancient streams. A,
10 . Marshy meadowlands along
1961 . A, Copy by E. F. Photograph by E. F.
Agua Fria Creek up­
Patterson of photograph Patterson ; B and C, pho­
stream from Rayado Base by J. W
. Leitzell ; B, tographs by Charles
Camp . Photograph by
photograph by E. F. Fiola--___---__--______
J. R. Stacy___________ 10
Patterson________-_____ 25 35 . Slice of yellow sandstone.
11 . Mountain view east from
25 . Black shale (Graneros Photograph by Charles
Rayado Base Camp .
Shale)-once it was mud Fiola________----______
Photograph by J. R.
on the floor of the sea. 36 . Yellow sandstone (Raton
Stacy--__________-____
A, Photograph by E. F. Formation) that has fossil
12 . High marshy meadowlands Patterson ; B, photograph suncracks, Ponil Creek.
on the Ocate Mesa . Pho­ by Charles Fiola; C, pho­ Photograph by E. F.
tograph by J. R. Stacy - tograph by Anthony Patterson------________
13 . Geological Survey stream- Denson________________ 27
37 . Crossbedding in yellow
gaging station on Cimar­ 26 . Fossils from black shale- sandstone (Raton Forma­
ron Creek. Photographs their descendants live in tion), Ponil Creek. Pho­
by J. R. Stacy__________ 12 the ocean today. *Pho­ tograph by E. F. Pat­
14 . Near the head of a typical tographs by R. E. Burk­ terson___---______-----
stream in the mountain holder-----____________ 28 38 . Fossil plants from ancient
country. Photograph by 27 . Fossils from black shale : stream beds . *Photo-
M. E. McCallum---____ 14 ammonites, extinct rela- graphs by Serge Mamay-
vi
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Page Page Page
39 . Yellow conglomerate (Poi- 55 . Dacite porphyry : a closer 69. Stream-laid red conglom­
son Canyon Formation)
look at two common va­ erate (Sangre de Cristo
in high benchlands north
rieties . A and B, Photo Formation) . Photograph
of Baldy Mountain . graphs by Charles Fiola ; by J. R. Stacy___--___- 65
Photograph by M. E. C, photograph by E. P. 70. A closer look at red sand-
McCallum____________- 38 Krier______-__-___-___- 51 stone and red conglom­
40 . Sandstone, conglomerate, erate from outcrops on
56 . Gneiss-changed from sedi­
and shale in old stream Cimarroncito Creek .
mentary or igneous rocks
deposits_-____________ 39 Photographs by Charles
by heating and squeezing
41 . Light-gray sandstone (Trin­ Fiola---________-______ 66
deep within the crust.
idad Sandstone)-relic of 71 . Red shale (Dockum Group)
Photograph by J. R.
a vanished ocean beach. laid down on the flood
Stacy--___--___-_-____ 52
Photograph by J. R. plain of an extinct river .
57 . Gneiss and schist . A, Pho­
39 A, Photograph by E. F.
tograph by J. R. Stacy ;
42. A closer look at beach sand- Patterson ; B and C,
B, C, and D, photographs
stone. A, Photograph by *photographs by C . B.
by Charles Fiola-------- 53
J. R. Stacy; B, photo- Read-________-___-__-_
68
58 . Gneiss and schist under the
graph by Charles Fiola__ 41 72. Limestone-pebble conglom­

the microscope . Photo­
43 . Plant fossils : leaves, cones, erate, South Fork Urraca

graphs by E. P. Krier_ _ _ 54
and nuts . *Photographs Creek. Photograph, by

from U.S . Geol . Survey 59 . Garnet schist . Photographs J. R. Stacy__-__-_-_-__
69
Prof. Paper 189-1_______ 42 by E. P. Krier---------- 55 73 . Remnant of basalt lava
44 . Tubes made by unknown 60 . Quartzite from campground flow on hill above Rayado
plant or animal . *Pho­ west of Clear Creek Store. Base Camp . Photograph
tographs from U.S . Geol . A, Photograph by Charles by J. R. Stacy__________ 70
Survey Prof . Paper 189-1- 43 Fiola; B, *photograph by 74 . Red volcanic bombs from
45 . Black shale and basalt in Warren Hamilton------- 56 the flank of Crater Peak .
the benchlands . Photo- Photographs by Dan
61 . Diorite porphyry from
graph by J. R. Stacy-_ _ _ 44 Hawkins--___-__--__--_ 71
South Fork Urraca Creek.
46 . Basalt rubble on Urraca 75 . Block field. Photographs
Photograph by Charles
Mesa. Photograph by by M. E. McCallum- _ _- 72
Fiola------------------ 57
Dan Hawkins______---- 44 76 . Block stream . Photograph
62 . Coarse-grained pink grano­
47 . A closer look at basalt . A, by M . E. McCallum-- _ _ 73
diorite one-quarter mile
Photograph by Charles 77 . Explorer Scouts on Thunder
downstream from Clear
Fiola; B, photograph by Mine dump, Middle Fork
Creek Store. Photograph
J. R. Stacy ; C, photo­ Cimarroncito Creek .
by J. R. Stacy__________ 58
graph by E. P. Krier__-- 45 Photograph by J. R.
63 . Pegmatite-a granitelike
48 . Dacite porphyry . A, Photo- Stacy__-_____-_____-__ 73
rock made of giant crys­
graph by M. E. McCal­ 78 . Water in the ground : the
tals-from near Clear
lum ; B, photograph by lake beneath us___-____- 75
Creek Store. Photograph
Charles Fiola----------- 46 79 . Rock sequence on Cimarron
by Charles Fiola_______- 58
49 . Coal at Philmont . A, Pho­ Creek. Photograph by
tograph by J. R. Stacy; 64 . Close-ups of granodiorite . J. R. Stacy-__-_______- 79
B, C *Photographs by Photographs by E. P. 80 . Four rock units that crop
J. M . Schopf--___--___- 47 Krier______________---- 59 out near Cimarron are
50 . Slices of bituminous coal, still recognizable at the
65 . Quartz sandstone (Dakota
showing some different base of Midnight Mesa,
Sandstone)-relic of an­
kinds of plant structures
cient beaches. A, Photo­ 6iz miles west of town .
that become coal . *Pho­ Photograph by E. F.
graph by E. F. Patterson;
tographs by J. M. Schopf- 48 Patterson_--______-___- 80
B, photograph by Charles
51 . Rock debris on a hum­
Fiola; C, photograph by 81 . Relation of landslides and
mocky hillside near U.S . gravel in Ute Creek valley
E. P. Krier____________ 61
Highway 64 . Photo­ to other rock units------ 81
66 . Quartz sandstone (Entrada
graph by M. E. McCal­ 82 . Dacite porphyry ledge
Sandstone) on the trail
lum__________________ 48 above weathered outcrop
along South Fork Urraca
52 . Slope mantle, in the moun­ of shale-part of unit 4
Creek. Photograph by
tain country near Beau­ (Pierre Shale)-near Ute
J. R. Stacy____-_______ 62
bien Camp . Photograph Creek. Photograph by
67 . Sand dunes: What they are
by J. R. Stacy_________ 48 E. F. Patterson_______-_ 81
like, inside and out------ 63
53 . Dacite porphyry-the great 83 . Rock sequence on upper
cliff maker. Photographs 68 . Red sandstone (Sangre de Cimarron Creek. Photo­
by E. F. Patterson----- 49 Cristo Formation) de- graph by E. F. Patterson- 82
54 . The Palisades in Cimarron posited by long-vanished 84 . Rock sequence on upper
Canyon . Photograph by streams. Photograph by Cimarron Creek. Photo­
J. R. Stacy----___-____ 50 E. F. Patterson--------- 64 graph by J. R. Stacy--_- 83
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Page Page Page
85 . True and apparent thick- 102. Beds overturned at
the 117. The Tooth of Time, viewed
ness of rock units------- 84 mountain front
on South from south from the
86 . The Philmont rock pile ..--- 86 Fork Urraca Creek_____
106 Stockade on lower Urraca
87 . Red shale and sandstone of 103. Geologic age of folding---- 107 Creek. Photograph by
unit 6 (Morrison Forma- 104. Angular unconformity be- J. R. Stacy____________ 122
tion) on Cimarroncito tween Precambrian rocks 118. Laccoliths : thick sills that
Creek. Photograph by and the Sangre de Cristo have arched their roofs_ 123
J. R. Stacy------------ 88 Formation_____________ 107 119. Crater Peak, an eroded vol-
105. Repeated beds along U.S . cano . Photograph by
88 . Red shale and sandstone of
Highway 64 . Photograph J. R. Stacy____________ 125
unit 8 (Dockum Group)
by J. R. Stacy__________ 109 120. Crater Peak, viewed from
on Cimarroncito Creek.
106. Shaefers Pass fault________ 110 the plains north of Ray-
Photograph by E. F.
107. Zone of ground-up shaly ado Creek, has the shape
Patterson______________ 89
rocks and rolled boulders of a buffalo head. Photo-
89 . Fossils and formations_____ 93
on Fowler Pass fault be- graph by J. R. Stacy__ _ _ 126
90 . Dating intrusive igneous
tween Precambrian gneiss 121 . Artesian water at Philmont .
rocks__________________ 95
and schist and Sangre de Photograph by M. E.
91 . Bringing together two kinds Cristo
Formation. Photo- McCallum____________- 127
of time : geologic and
graph by J. R. Stacy____ 111 122. How leaflike drainage pat-
clock 95 108. One way
to explain the terns are formed by
92 . Unconformity beneath Poi- geologic structure near streams starting on
son Canyon and Raton the head of Agua Fria smooth anduniform rock_ 129
Formations along U.S . Creek 112 123 . Gullies cut by seasonal
Highway 64____________ Horizontal offset of dipping streams in the upper
93 . Thinning of a formation by beds by vertical move- edge of the lowland plains,
ment __________________ east of Cimarroncito
overlap________________
110. Fault, along which move-
Creek, just above Web­
94 . Dip and strike of a sand-
ment was horizontal, cut-
ster Reservoir. Photo-
stone ledge. Photograph
ting vertical lamprophyre graph
by M. E. McCallum__ 129
by E . F. Patterson------ 99
sheet and moderately dip-
124. How Cimarron Creek cap-
95 . Topography and dip affect
ping Pierre Shale on
tured the waters of Mo­
the outcrop pattern of
Horse Ridge . Photo-
reno Valley________-___ 133
layered rocks___________
graph by J. R. Stacy___
125 . How streams grow in the
96 . True and apparent dip ---- Geologic map of lampro-
northern benchlands____ 134
97 . Using the geologist's com- phyre sheet in Pierre
126. River of lava freezes to
pass to measure strike . Shale on Horse Ridge__
make a bench__________ 136
Photograph by J. R . 112 . Gently dipping reverse
127. Mountain meadows where
Stacy_________________ 102 fault, or thrust fault, on
Bonito Creek runs on
Ponil Creek Trail . Photo-
98 . Using the geologist's com-
metamorphic rocks, up-
graph by J. R. Stacy____
pass to measure dip .
stream from hard-rock
113. Fowler Pass and Lost Cabin
Photograph by J. R .
ledges at the mountain
faults viewed as the sides
Stacy_________________ 103
front. Photograph by
of a giant plunger of Pre-
99 . Giant shallow downfold, or J. R. Stacy____________ 139
cambrian rocks thrust
syncline, in Poison Can- 128. Typical landslide --------- 140
northeastward under
yon rocks north of Cim-
129. Crater Lake . Photograph
what are now Moreno
arron Creek____________ 104
by E. F. Patterson______
Valley and the Cimar-
100. Folds in sedimentary rocks 130. Valley sculpture by amoun-
ron Range and later ex-
on lower South Fork tain glacier_____________ 142
posed by uplift and
Urraca Creek__________ 105
erosion________________. 116 131 . Indian writings from canyon
101. Shale and sandstone of the 114. Dacite porphyry sill. Photo- of North Ponil Creek.
Dockum Group standing graph by J. R. Stacy____ 119 Photograph by J. R.
nearly vertical on South 115. Sills and dikes____________ 120 Stacy----------------- 147
Fork Urraca Creek trail. 116. Lamprophyre sheet that is 132. The sun sets behind the
Photograph by J. R . mostly dike but partly Cimarron Range. Photo-
Stacy_________________ 106 sill, at Horse Ridge_____ graph by J. R. Stacy____ 149
WHAT THIS BOOK IS ABOUT€
The geologic story of the Phil- mountains swarming with moun- scape, what happened before the
mont Ranch region is mostly the tain sheep, deer, elk, bear, puma, mountains were born, how they
story of one of the mountain ranges and smaller animals . The Span- came to be, and what has been
that make up the Rocky Moun- iards, or their successors, began happening to them since . Our
tains-the Cimarron Range in speaking of the mountains as the account will be more a detective
northeastern New Mexico . In a Sierra Cimarron, or Range of the story than a lecture .
way it is an autobiography, for Wild Beasts . In working out the life . story of
the range tells its own story, but The name is no longer very apt, the Cimarron Range and of the
in a difficult tongue . We are because the animal population has plains at its feet we will work
simply the translators . It is no declined as the gun-toting popu- backward . First, we will consider
epitaph, for the range is still lationhasgrown . Mountain sheep the landscape of today (fig . 1) .
young . The story is long, for became extinct decades ago, and Then we will examine the nature
some of the rocks in the core of descendants of the other large ani- and origin of the rocks and water
the range are among the oldest on mals exist only under the protec- beneath this landscape-take, as
the North American continent, tion of the law. The game that it were, a geologic inventory .
and those on the flanks of the once ranged the bordering plains- Third, we will work out the order
range are still forming today . It buffalo, pronghorn, giant rabbit, in which the rocks of Philmont
is an incomplete story, but the and coyote-has almost vanished, have formed, and when. After
missing events whet our curiosity . too . On the other hand, animals that we will find how and when the
Parts of the rocky record can be unknown to the Indians until the rocks have been deformed and
read in more than one way, and Europeans came-horses, burros, changed by forces from within the
this adds spice to the telling . cattle, and domestic sheep-are earth . Next, we will try to decide
How the range got its name has now many. how the landscape has been
been forgotten . Most likely it We are all aware of how rapidly shaped . Finally, we will fit what
was named by Spanish explorers, the pattern of animal life has we have seen of the rocks and
who were the. first Europeans to changed in the West . It is harder scenery, and what we have rea-
see it . In 1540, Coronado came to realize that the mountains soned about them, into a single,
as far north as Taos, but not until change too . But in the vast span marvelously eventful, if incom-
a century or more later did the of recorded geologic time-some- plete, story-a geologic history .
Spaniards venture this far north thing like a billion years in this
along the east front of the moun- region-the Cimarron Range has
tains, in search of precious metals existed but a brief 50 or 60 million
and jewels, not in the ground but years, and in its lifetime it has
in legendary El Dorados, Cities of constantly, if slowly, changed .
Gold . Here they found no golden We hope to piece together, from
cities, but they saw dark, timbered evidence in the rocks and land-
�
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6
WHERE THE ROCKIES RISE FROM THE PLAINS : the setting of the Philmont Ranch region . (Fig . 1)
2