Description
Johnson Mesa is about 14 miles (23 km) long, running east to west, and 2 miles (3.2 km) to 6 miles (9.7 km) wide, north to south. The lava-topped tableland slopes downward from 8,650 feet (2,637 mts) to 7,600 feet (2,316 mts) from west to east. Steep-sides and ciffs from 500 feet (152 mts) to 1,900 feet (579 mts) high ring the Mesa.
Johnson Mesa is a high plateau with a top-of-the-world atmosphere looking out over the Great Plains far below. New Mexico Highway 72 traverses the mesa east to west, part of the Dry Cimarron State Scenic & Historic Byway. Several volcanic cones, including Red Mountain, Towndrow Peak, and Dale Mountain rise about 400 feet (122 mts) above the mostly flat and treeless terrain. The cliffs surrounding the mesa are wooded with Pinyon, Juniper, and Ponderosa Pine, but the top is grassland. The source of the Dry Cimarron River is on the Mesa, but, before the coming of settlers, the only water sources were depressions in which water collected after rains. Several shallow lakes and ponds, including Berry and Bellisle lakes, have been created as watering holes for cattle. Below the south rim of Johnson Mesa is Johnson Park, about 3 miles (5 km) by 2 miles (3 km), at an elevation of 6,800 feet (2,073 mts). The earliest access to the Mesa was through the Park.
The high altitude moderates summer temperatures, but winters are very cold and windy. The Mesa receives about 18 inches (457 mm) of precipitation annually as does nearby Raton.
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