Daily Postcard: Sunrise at Saint Peters Dome on the eastern edge of the Jemez Mountains. Photo by Jaret McDonald

Saint Peters Dome

Saint Peters Dome is the highest of the small group of 8,000-foot peaks on the eastern edge of the Jemez Mountains rising above Cochit Lake, Cochiti Pueblo and the Rio Grande River. It serves as the foundation for a watchtower from which forest management can keep an eye out for fires in the eastern portions of the Jemez Mountains.

This peak as well as the rest of the Jemez Mountains were once part of a massive supervolcano that collapsed around a million years ago, which sent hundreds of cubic kilometers of rock and ash into the atmosphere. Today, they stand as monuments to an amazing past filled with huge amounts of volcanism visible over much of the northern Rio Grande Valley. Large, obtuse boulders of tuff as well as hole-filled cliffs from the volcanic activity in the past accent the area with interesting landmarks and potential rock climbing locations.

This place is not visited often, especially in the winter, and provides a wonderful outdoor experience with plenty of solitude.

The Dome Wilderness Area is the smallest wilderness area in New Mexico. Hit by a fire in 1996, it continues to recover, which is why the higher peaks have no trees.

Source: summitsource.org