Six to seven million years ago, massive volcanic eruptions occured throughout the mountains of New Mexico, one of the largest of which was from the Valles Caldera near Jemez, NM. The tent rocks formations are the result of repeated eruptions from at least 20 volcanoes to the northwest, which blanketed this area with pumice, ash and tuff deposits over 1,000 feet thick. This material was then welded, fused and cemented into a type of rock known as volcanic tuff.
Later, geologic uplift, faulting and weathering by wind and water sculpted these deposits into unique tent-shaped formations.
Each layer we see in the cliff walls and tent formations represents a separate volcanic event.
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