Mesa Prieta cause lava flow
Mesa Prieta is a mesa in Sandoval County New Mexico. The mesa was formed by a basaltic lava flow approximately 3.3 myr. When the Rio Grande began to flow through the area, it eroded the softer sedimentary layers beneath the basaltic layer creating a mesa. The sedimentary rocks include the Cretaceous Dakota Sandstone, Mancos Shale, and Gallup Sandstone.Rio Puerco flows south on the west side of the mesa.  The Ojito Wilderness is to the east of the mesa, and Cabezon Peak is to the north.