Cathedral Cliff, Volcanic plug in San Juan County, United States.
Cathedral Cliff rises 400 feet above the desert plain, standing as a prominent landmark alongside U.S. Route 491 in northwestern New Mexico.
The formation dates back 30 million years to the Oligocene period when volcanic activity in the Navajo Volcanic Field created intrusions of minette rock.
The cliff stands on Navajo Nation territory, where ancestral Puebloan and Diné people developed their societies amid challenging environmental conditions.
The geological site lies approximately 13 miles south of Shiprock community, offering opportunities for geological research and photography.
The eroded remnants reveal a rare diatreme-maar transition zone, formed when rising magma interacted explosively with groundwater-saturated rock.
Location: San Juan County
GPS coordinates: 36.60806,-108.70722
Latest update: March 4, 2025 16:27
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