DEL NORTE—The La Vereda del Norte Chapter of the Old Spanish Trail Association is sponsoring a geologic road tour of English Valley which is located a few miles northwest of Del Norte near the Old Spanish Trail. The tour will be led by Steve Nicolais, a local, recently retired geologist and graduate from Colorado School of Mines on June 17.

English Valley is located within the remnants a deeply eroded volcano, the Summer Coon Volcanic Center. The tour will entail several hours of driving across the basement of this major volcanic complex, with a number of stops to observe some of the key geologic features, volcanic fissures and various volcanic deposits around the flanks. 

For those interested and able, there will be the opportunity at several of the stops to spend a few minutes on very short hikes up to see a few of the more interesting outcrops.

The program will begin with a 15-20 minute presentation in the Rio Grande County Museum on the regional geology of the San Juan volcanic field and an overview of the Summer Coon Volcanic Center.

Participants will meet in RGC Museum, 580 Oak Street, Del Norte on Saturday, June 17 at 9:30 a.m. 

High clearance vehicles are required for the tour which will be over some deeply rutted dirt roads. Drivers, please take on additional passengers to limit the number of vehicles. Bring sunscreen, jacket, rain coat walking stick, bug repellent and a lunch. It is a very intriguing geologic area; time permitting, participants will visit some ancestral native rock art in the area as well.  

For additional information, call Steve Nicolais at 214-724-0150.