Jutting out from the forest like a ship of war emerging from the fog, Battleship Rock is a unique stone feature representing millions of years of geological history.

The 200 foot tall welded volcanic ash wonder is named due to its resemblance to the bow of a ship. Nestled amidst the volcanically created Jemez Mountains which extend from central Colorado to southern New Mexico, the Battleship Rock and the surrounding area consists primarily of igneous rocks, deposited through the regions numerous volcanic vents. As a result of these eruptions, ancient layers of ash and pumice surround the mountain range today.

The Jemez's picturesque landscape, including their famous red rock formations, are a product of the numerous types of rocks found in the area including basalt, andesite, dacite, rhyodacite and quartz latite. The most recent major volcanic activity in the area occurred between 40 to 60 thousand years ago, resulting in a series of ash flows and calderas. However, the area today is hardly dormant as evident from the presence of numerous geothermal hot springs, the pungent odors from sulphurous vents, and the colorfully stained stones from minerals and elements in the water.

Further demonstrating the complex natural history of the area is the rich abundance of fossils embedded in the area's limestone. Standing as a testament to the vast body of water that submerged the area approximately 300 million years ago, visitors may discover fossilized marine life including crinoids, bryozoans and brachiopods in the hillsides surrounding Battleship Rock.

Podcast Written and Narrated by Brittany Dixon, Public History Student at the University of West Florida.