description Pedernal Overview
Cerro Pedernal, commonly called Pedernal, is a prominent flat-topped mountain in northern New Mexico near Abiquiú. Its resistant cap and steep slopes make it a distinctive landmark above the surrounding high-desert terrain. American painter Georgia O'Keeffe repeatedly depicted Pedernal from different viewpoints and under changing light, making its long horizontal summit one of the most recognizable landscape forms associated with her work in New Mexico.
insights Ranking position
Pedernal ranks #15 of 99 in the Butte ranking, behind Agathla Peak, ahead of The Three Sisters (Monument Valley).
help Pedernal FAQ
Why did Georgia O'Keeffe paint Pedernal so often?
Pedernal was a dominant landmark in the landscape around O'Keeffe's northern New Mexico homes and studios. She repeatedly used its flat summit as a recognizable horizon in paintings such as "Pedernal, 1941."
Are Georgia O'Keeffe's ashes on Pedernal?
After O'Keeffe died in 1986, her ashes were scattered from the summit of Pedernal according to her wishes. The mountain therefore has both an artistic and personal connection to her life near Abiquiu.
Can hikers reach the summit of Pedernal?
Routes to the summit involve steep terrain, route-finding and a short scramble or climb through the resistant caprock. Access conditions and land-management rules should be checked locally before setting out from the Abiquiu area.
What gives Pedernal its flat-topped shape?
A resistant cap of harder rock protects softer material below it from eroding as quickly as the surrounding terrain. This differential erosion produced the prominent tabletop profile visible across northern New Mexico.
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