Historical Marker
Jémez Mountains (2)
Formed from cataclysmic volcanic eruptions some one million years ago, the Jémez Mountains are part of the westernmost New Mexico Rockies that enter the state from Colorado near Chama. Chicoma Peak (11,561 feet), prominent on the western horizon, is the highest in the Jémez Mountains. Elevation here is 5,800 feet.
The first European to visit what is now New Mexico was likely Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, a Spanish explorer who traveled through the region in the early 16th century. However, it was not until the arrival of Juan de Oñate in 1598 that the Spanish established a permanent settlement in the area.