Carrizozo Lava Flow | U.S. Geological Survey
Source: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/carrizozo-lava-flow
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:31
Carrizozo Lava Flow | U.S. Geological Survey
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Carrizozo Lava Flow
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The map displays volcanoes, earthquakes, monitoring instruments, and past lava flows.
Get Help
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To view an earthquake cross-sectional plot, click "Draw Plot" to start drawing on the map. Once the plot area is selected, click on "View Plot" to view chart or "Clear Plot" to start over.
Settings
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Carrizozo Lava Flow
Home
Publications
Connect
The 75-km- (50-mi-) long Carrizozo lava flow is located in south-central New Mexico in the Tularose Basin.
Quick Facts
Location:
New Mexico, Lincoln County
Latitude:
33.78° N
Longitude:
105.93° W
Elevation:
1,731 (m) 5,679 (f)
Volcano type:
lava flow
Composition:
basalt
Most recent eruption:
5,000 years ago
Nearby towns:
Carrizozo
Threat Potential:
Low/Very Low*
*based on the
National Volcano Early Warning System
Summary
Media
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.
View Media Details
View of the Carrizozo lava flow from space.
The 75-km- (50-mi-) long Carrizozo lava flow is located in south-central New Mexico in the Tularose Basin. Eruption began approximately 5,000 years ago, and after two to three decades at a relatively low effusion rate, 4.3 km
3
(1 mi
3
) of basalt lava covered 330 km
2
(130 mi
2
) of land. All of the lava originated from a vent, Little Black Peak, on the northern end, which is visible today as a 27-m (88-ft) tall cinder cone that rises above the flow. The vent lies within a zone of known crustal weakness, the Capitan lineament, where magmas are able to rise through the crust and erupt on the surface. The lava flow is one of the longest known that has erupted on Earth in the past 10,000 years. It achieved its great length by flowing in insulated lava tubes. Carrizozo Malpais is the local name, which roughly translates to “bad footing” in Spanish, and describes the difficulty of traversing the area.
October 22, 2018
2018 update to the U.S. Geological Survey national volcanic threat assessment
2018 update to the U.S. Geological Survey national volcanic threat assessment
When erupting, all volcanoes pose a degree of risk to people and infrastructure, however, the risks are not equivalent from one volcano to another because of differences in eruptive style and geographic location. Assessing the relative threats posed by U.S. volcanoes identifies which volcanoes warrant the greatest risk-mitigation efforts by the U.S. Geological Survey and its partners...
Authors
John W. Ewert, Angela K. Diefenbach, David W. Ramsey
By
Volcano Hazards Program
,
Volcano Science Center
,
Agrigan
,
Ahyi Seamount
,
Alamagan
,
Anatahan
,
Asuncion
,
Belknap
,
Black Butte Crater Lava Field
,
Black Rock Desert Volcanic Field
,
Blue Lake Crater
,
Carrizozo Lava Flow
,
Cascade Range Weekly Update
,
Cinnamon Butte
,
Clear Lake Volcanic Field
,
Coso Volcanic Field
,
Crater Lake
,
Craters of the Moon Volcanic Field
,
Daikoku Seamount
,
Davis Lake Volcanic Field
,
Devils Garden Lava Field
,
Diamond Craters Volcanic Field
,
Dotsero Volcanic Center
,
East Diamante
,
Esmeralda Bank
,
Farallon de Pajaros
,
Fukujin Seamount
,
Glacier Peak
,
Guguan
,
Haleakalā
,
Hell's Half Acre Lava Field
,
Hualālai
,
Indian Heaven Volcanic Field
,
Jordan Craters Volcanic Field
,
Kama‘ehuakanaloa
,
Kasuga 2
,
Kīlauea
,
Lassen Volcanic Center
,
Long Valley Caldera
,
Mammoth Mountain
,
Markagunt Plateau Volcanic Field
,
Maug Islands
,
Mauna Kea
,
Mauna Loa
,
Medicine Lake
,
Mono Lake Volcanic Field
,
Mono-Inyo Craters
,
Mount Adams
,
Mount Bachelor
,
Mount Baker
,
Mount Hood
,
Mount Jefferson
,
Mount Rainier
,
Mount Shasta
,
Mount St. Helens
,
Newberry
,
Ofu-Olosega
,
Pagan
,
Red Hill-Quemado Volcanic Field
,
Ruby
,
Salton Buttes
,
San Francisco Volcanic Field
,
Sand Mountain Volcanic Field
,
Sarigan
,
Soda Lakes
,
South Sarigan Seamount
,
Supply Reef
,
Ta'u Island
,
Three Sisters
,
Tutuila Island
,
Ubehebe Craters
,
Uinkaret Volcanic Field
,
Valles Caldera
,
Wapi Lava Field
,
Weekly Update
,
West Crater Volcanic Field
,
Yellowstone
,
Zealandia Bank
,
Zuni-Bandera Volcanic Field
Quick Facts
Location:
New Mexico, Lincoln County
Latitude:
33.78° N
Longitude:
105.93° W
Elevation:
1,731 (m) 5,679 (f)
Volcano type:
lava flow
Composition:
basalt
Most recent eruption:
5,000 years ago
Nearby towns:
Carrizozo
Threat Potential:
Low/Very Low*
*based on the
National Volcano Early Warning System
Volcanoes Hazards Program Links
Assess
Prepare
Forecast
Activity
Products
Observatories
About
Was this page helpful?
Skip to main content
Official websites use .gov
A
.gov
website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A
lock (
)
or
https://
means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
Carrizozo Lava Flow
Find U.S. Volcano
Filters
Learn More
The map displays volcanoes, earthquakes, monitoring instruments, and past lava flows.
Get Help
Earthquake Plots
To view an earthquake cross-sectional plot, click "Draw Plot" to start drawing on the map. Once the plot area is selected, click on "View Plot" to view chart or "Clear Plot" to start over.
Map Layers
Earthquake Colors
Earthquake Depth Units
Earthquake Time Units
Results
Filters
Learn More
The map displays volcanoes, earthquakes, monitoring instruments, and past lava flows.
Get Help
Earthquake Plots
To view an earthquake cross-sectional plot, click "Draw Plot" to start drawing on the map. Once the plot area is selected, click on "View Plot" to view chart or "Clear Plot" to start over.
Settings
Map Layers
Earthquake Colors
Earthquake Depth Units
Earthquake Time Units
x
Map Legend
x
Map Legend
Results
Carrizozo Lava Flow
Home
Publications
Connect
The 75-km- (50-mi-) long Carrizozo lava flow is located in south-central New Mexico in the Tularose Basin.
Quick Facts
Location:
New Mexico, Lincoln County
Latitude:
33.78° N
Longitude:
105.93° W
Elevation:
1,731 (m) 5,679 (f)
Volcano type:
lava flow
Composition:
basalt
Most recent eruption:
5,000 years ago
Nearby towns:
Carrizozo
Threat Potential:
Low/Very Low*
*based on the
National Volcano Early Warning System
Summary
Media
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.
View Media Details
View of the Carrizozo lava flow from space.
The 75-km- (50-mi-) long Carrizozo lava flow is located in south-central New Mexico in the Tularose Basin. Eruption began approximately 5,000 years ago, and after two to three decades at a relatively low effusion rate, 4.3 km
3
(1 mi
3
) of basalt lava covered 330 km
2
(130 mi
2
) of land. All of the lava originated from a vent, Little Black Peak, on the northern end, which is visible today as a 27-m (88-ft) tall cinder cone that rises above the flow. The vent lies within a zone of known crustal weakness, the Capitan lineament, where magmas are able to rise through the crust and erupt on the surface. The lava flow is one of the longest known that has erupted on Earth in the past 10,000 years. It achieved its great length by flowing in insulated lava tubes. Carrizozo Malpais is the local name, which roughly translates to “bad footing” in Spanish, and describes the difficulty of traversing the area.
October 22, 2018
2018 update to the U.S. Geological Survey national volcanic threat assessment
2018 update to the U.S. Geological Survey national volcanic threat assessment
When erupting, all volcanoes pose a degree of risk to people and infrastructure, however, the risks are not equivalent from one volcano to another because of differences in eruptive style and geographic location. Assessing the relative threats posed by U.S. volcanoes identifies which volcanoes warrant the greatest risk-mitigation efforts by the U.S. Geological Survey and its partners...
Authors
John W. Ewert, Angela K. Diefenbach, David W. Ramsey
By
Volcano Hazards Program
,
Volcano Science Center
,
Agrigan
,
Ahyi Seamount
,
Alamagan
,
Anatahan
,
Asuncion
,
Belknap
,
Black Butte Crater Lava Field
,
Black Rock Desert Volcanic Field
,
Blue Lake Crater
,
Carrizozo Lava Flow
,
Cascade Range Weekly Update
,
Cinnamon Butte
,
Clear Lake Volcanic Field
,
Coso Volcanic Field
,
Crater Lake
,
Craters of the Moon Volcanic Field
,
Daikoku Seamount
,
Davis Lake Volcanic Field
,
Devils Garden Lava Field
,
Diamond Craters Volcanic Field
,
Dotsero Volcanic Center
,
East Diamante
,
Esmeralda Bank
,
Farallon de Pajaros
,
Fukujin Seamount
,
Glacier Peak
,
Guguan
,
Haleakalā
,
Hell's Half Acre Lava Field
,
Hualālai
,
Indian Heaven Volcanic Field
,
Jordan Craters Volcanic Field
,
Kama‘ehuakanaloa
,
Kasuga 2
,
Kīlauea
,
Lassen Volcanic Center
,
Long Valley Caldera
,
Mammoth Mountain
,
Markagunt Plateau Volcanic Field
,
Maug Islands
,
Mauna Kea
,
Mauna Loa
,
Medicine Lake
,
Mono Lake Volcanic Field
,
Mono-Inyo Craters
,
Mount Adams
,
Mount Bachelor
,
Mount Baker
,
Mount Hood
,
Mount Jefferson
,
Mount Rainier
,
Mount Shasta
,
Mount St. Helens
,
Newberry
,
Ofu-Olosega
,
Pagan
,
Red Hill-Quemado Volcanic Field
,
Ruby
,
Salton Buttes
,
San Francisco Volcanic Field
,
Sand Mountain Volcanic Field
,
Sarigan
,
Soda Lakes
,
South Sarigan Seamount
,
Supply Reef
,
Ta'u Island
,
Three Sisters
,
Tutuila Island
,
Ubehebe Craters
,
Uinkaret Volcanic Field
,
Valles Caldera
,
Wapi Lava Field
,
Weekly Update
,
West Crater Volcanic Field
,
Yellowstone
,
Zealandia Bank
,
Zuni-Bandera Volcanic Field
Quick Facts
Location:
New Mexico, Lincoln County
Latitude:
33.78° N
Longitude:
105.93° W
Elevation:
1,731 (m) 5,679 (f)
Volcano type:
lava flow
Composition:
basalt
Most recent eruption:
5,000 years ago
Nearby towns:
Carrizozo
Threat Potential:
Low/Very Low*
*based on the
National Volcano Early Warning System
Volcanoes Hazards Program Links
Assess
Prepare
Forecast
Activity
Products
Observatories
About
Was this page helpful?