Horseshoe Crater


Horseshoe Crater is a cinder cone volcanic crater in Colfax County, New Mexico, United States. It is located southeast of the Capulin Volcano National Monument and in the volcanic field.

History

Geology

Horseshoe Crater was most likely created due to a volcanic depression or meteorite explosion. The name comes from the U-shaped crater in the volcano that reaches the ground. There are no new reports of activity inside the volcano and it's highly likely there won't be ever again. Horseshoe Crater is 440,000 years old, much older than the Capulin volcano. Horseshoe has lost it's cinder cone profile and became rounder due to erosion, and its original height was significantly cut down.

Comparison to Capulin

NameHeightAgeTypeClass
Horseshoe crater7772 ft440,000 years oldCinder coneExtinct
Capulin8182 ft56,000 years oldCinder coneExtinct

Surrounding areas

The closest town to Horseshoe Crater is the small settlement of Capulin. This volcano and the surrounding ones in the volcanic field pose no threat to the population as they have all gone extinct.