Historical Marker
Mesa and Pecos Valley
Pecos Valley section of Great Plains province stretches westward to foothills of Capitán, Jicarilla, and Gallinas Mountains. Southern High Plains, 50 miles to east, are capped by water-bearing Ogallala Formation; Poquita Mesa to east is Ogallala remnant. Nearby depressions are sinkholes in porous Permian limestones. Elevation 4,500 feet.
In the early 1800s, New Mexico became an important center for trade along the Santa Fe Trail, which connected Missouri to Santa Fe. The trail was used by traders, trappers, and settlers to transport goods and supplies across the frontier.