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51-809: Black Mesa may refer to: Places in the United States [ edit ] Black Mesa (Oklahoma, Colorado, New Mexico) , in Colorado, New Mexico, and the highest point in Oklahoma Black Mesa Test Range , a United States Army rocket testing facility in Utah Black Mesa (Apache-Navajo Counties, Arizona) , an upland coal-bearing mesa, mountainous area in Navajo and Apache Counties, Arizona Black Mesa Peabody Coal controversy ,

102-527: A river , lake or canyon around their settlements. These fuel breaks would also entice large herbivores to patches of fresh new growth. European explorers, trappers, and fur traders began to settle the shortgrass prairie. They developed an extractive economy that led to the later growth and industrialization of the prairie. In the mid-to-late 19th century, the railroads expanded transportation channels and helped to increase settlement, predominantly in rural and small towns. While more people began to settle in

153-610: A distinct line of footprints believed to have been made by an allosaurus , has been found juxtaposed with the Carrizo Creek, which runs around the modern-day northern edge of the mesa. The mesa lies in the protected area known as the Black Mesa Nature Preserve which was established in 1991, covering 1,600 acres (6.5 km ). The preserve protects 60% of the area of the mesa peak. The peak is accessible along an 8-mile-long (13 km) trail. Apart from

204-649: A fictional scientific research complex in New Mexico that forms the setting for the video game Half-Life and the game with the same name. Black Mesa East , a fictional resistance base in Eastern Europe, featured in Half-Life 2 Black Mesa (video game) , a remake of the video game Half-Life See also [ edit ] List of peaks named Black Mesa , a comprehensive listing of summits named "Black Mesa" [REDACTED] Topics referred to by

255-769: A lot of artists and photographers to this area in seek of fame and economic opportunities. The shortgrass prairie is located on the western side of the Great Plains with the Colorado Rockies to its West and the mixed grass prairie to its East. The prairie extends to the eastern part of the Rocky Mountains to the West, up to Canada to the North, as far as Nebraska to the East, and as far as parts of Texas to

306-408: A range that historically spanned 11 states but now live in 1 percent of their former range. The decrease has been driven by poisoning campaigns, habitat disruption, and hunting. The decline in prairie dogs has significantly impacted many of the other animals that reside in the shortgrass prairie, including the black-footed ferret , whose diet relies on prairie dogs. Other animals negatively affected by

357-469: A river valley. The mesa is capped by erosion-resistant basaltic lava formed by a volcanic eruption 3 to 5 million years ago. The lava erupted from a vent in the Raton-Clayton volcanic field in northeastern New Mexico and southeastern Colorado. The volcanic cap to the mesa is 600 feet (180 m) thick, 55 miles (89 km) long and from 0.5 miles to 8 miles wide, which is 65 miles (105 km) to

408-459: A species of badger . Nine snake species are found in this arid environment, the plains hog-nosed snake , western coachwhip , bullsnake , longnose snake , plains blackhead snake , blackneck garter snake , plains garter snake , lined snake , and prairie rattlesnake . The broad-headed skink , prairie racerunner , red-lipped plateau lizard , northern earless lizard , eastern collared lizard , and Texas horned lizard are also indigenous to

459-557: A visitors' log. Black Mesa is not only the highest point in Oklahoma but it is also the driest, harshest and coldest place in the state. A nearby weather station is located in Kenton . The visual and map view appearance of Black Mesa is as an " inverted valley " because erosion has removed the relatively soft sedimentary strata from either side of the resistant Raton basalt of the lava which originally had occupied and filled

510-415: Is galleta grass ( Hilaria ). These grasses are native to the shortgrass prairie and therefore are drought and grazing resistant. Not many plant varieties appear in the shortgrass prairie because of its extreme changes in annual precipitation and temperature from one year to the next. Two of the main plants that are able to thrive are soap weed yucca ( Yucca glauca ) and plains prickly pear ( Opuntia ). In

561-579: Is a nonprofit organization in Montana that seeks to build a nature reserve called the American Prairie through land acquisition and public land integration. There are two significant population trends currently impacting the shortgrass prairie region. Firstly, the population of rural areas in the region is decreasing, with many of those people moving westward. Additionally, more people are moving to metropolitan areas , with about three quarters of

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612-421: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Black Mesa (Oklahoma, Colorado, New Mexico) Black Mesa is a mesa located in an area covering parts of the U.S. states of Colorado , New Mexico , and Oklahoma . It extends from Mesa de Maya , Colorado southeasterly 28 miles (45 km) crossing into the northeast corner of New Mexico, and ending in

663-615: Is part of the Rocky Mountains and the shortgrass prairie. Some features include the Old Maid Rock, and Devil's Tombstone. The mesa's base includes a 200-foot (61 m) escarpment which is parallel with the Dry Cimarron River's north bank. Its highest elevation is 5,705 feet (1,739 m) in Colorado. The highest point of Black Mesa within New Mexico is 5,239 feet (1,597 m). In northwestern Cimarron County, Oklahoma , Black Mesa reaches 4,973 feet (1,516 m),

714-409: Is present, along with a variety of prey species including bighorn sheep , mule deer , and pronghorn . Eight native species of animal are state-level designated as "rare". Two lagomorphs are present, the eastern cottontail ( Sylvilagus floridanus ), and the black-tailed jackrabbit ( Lepus californicus ). Other mammals include the dog-like coyote , as well as the much smaller prairie dog and

765-465: Is significantly colder on average then the temperature in the South. Also, there is more precipitation to the south, and more precipitation to the East. The shortgrass prairie has a one to two month summer drought unlike the tall and mixed grass prairies. It also the driest of the three prairie types. This region has hailstorms , blizzards , tornadoes , and dust storms . The shortgrass prairie

816-663: The Jurassic Morrison Formation . Beginning in 1935, geologists and paleontologists have searched the mesa's outcroppings, finding dinosaur fossils in the Jurassic and Triassic strata . A large quantity of dinosaur bones has been recovered from the Black Mesa locale; totaling over eighteen tonnes. These remains were split between several species, including stegosaurus , camptosaurus , diplodocus , and edmontosaurus . Clear fossil physical evidence,

867-631: The Oklahoma panhandle along the north bank of the Cimarron River at its confluence with the North Carrizo Creek near Kenton . Its highest elevation is 5,705 feet (1,739 m) in Colorado. The highest point of Black Mesa within New Mexico is 5,239 feet (1,597 m). In northwestern Cimarron County, Oklahoma , Black Mesa reaches 4,973 feet (1,516 m), the highest point in the state of Oklahoma. The plateau that formed at

918-625: The Sam Noble Museum is a diorama of the Black Mesa. It covers 2,000 square feet (190 m ) and is housed in the Hall of Natural Wonders. Funds for its creation were provided by the Whitten-Newman Foundation. The diorama is touchscreen computerized and interactive and is set within the boundaries of the mesa. It is a replication of the real shape and form of the mesa and is modeled to a suitable scale which brings out

969-451: The black-billed magpie , pinyon jay , American crow , and common raven , as well as the more local Chihuahuan raven . 61 species of butterfly are found in the preserve, including seventeen skippers , three swallowtails , four hairstreaks , a copper , four whites , nine true brushfoots , two satyrs , and a leafwing . There are 91 species of moths on Black Mesa. No species of fish are found on Black Mesa. A permanent exhibit in

1020-662: The turkey vulture , American kestrel , golden eagle , ferruginous hawk , red-tailed hawk , Mississippi kite , and the prairie falcon , all of which are classed as being of least concern according to the IUCN . There is one other bird of prey, the western screech-owl . There are no waterfowl found on Black Mesa. The mourning dove , greater roadrunner , common nighthawk , common poorwill , ladder-backed woodpecker , red-shafted flicker , olive-sided flycatcher , Say's phoebe , ash-throated flycatcher , Cassin's kingbird , and western kingbird are also found. There are five corvids;

1071-448: The United States are used for intensive agriculture. It is estimated that about 50 percent of the shortgrass prairie is still uncultivated. The shortgrass prairie yields for a lot of crop production, and in this specific prairie wheat is the major crop grown. Other major crops grown are maize , soybeans , and cotton . The dry grasslands of the shortgrass prairie yield for extensive grazing operations. Typically cow-calf operations with

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1122-544: The area for copper and coal mining and also for cattle ranching activities by grazing cattle in the mesa region, law enforcement became more effective, and the outlaws were brought under control. In more recent times, at least one person has claimed to have been abducted by extraterrestrial aliens at Black Mesa. The Mesa is situated in Cimarron County in the Oklahoma Panhandle . The Black Mesa plateau

1173-474: The area was a hideout for outlaws such as William Coe and Black Jack Ketchum . The outlaws built a fort known as the Robbers' Roost . The stone fort housed a blacksmith shop, gun ports, and a piano. The present-day Oklahoma Panhandle area, which was then considered a no man's land , lacked law enforcement agencies and hence the outlaws found it safe to hide in the region. However, as new settlers arrived in

1224-585: The area. Two types of turtle , the ornate box turtle and the yellow mud turtle have been found in the Black Mesa preserve. Only one frog is found in this desert habitat, the American bullfrog , but there are six other species of amphibians; the Great Plains narrowmouth toad , New Mexico spadefoot , plains spadefoot , Woodhouse's toad , red-spotted toad , and the western green toad , all toads . Birds are common, and there are 59 species present during at least some years. Seven different raptors are found,

1275-600: The controversy surrounding a Peabody Coal mine in the Black Mesa (Apache-Navajo Counties, Arizona) Black Mesa (Navajo County, Arizona) , in the White Mountains Black Mesa (Warm Springs, Arizona) , a southern section of Black Mountains (Arizona) containing the Warm Springs Wilderness, and setting for the 1936 film The Petrified Forest In the Half-Life video game series [ edit ] Black Mesa Research Facility ,

1326-399: The decline of prairie dogs are the mountain plover , swift fox , ferruginous hawk and the burrowing owl. In Colorado , which contains a substantial portion of the shortgrass prairie biome, no legal ecosystem protection exists. More than 85% of prairie is privately owned and used for agriculture, particularly for dry land wheat , irrigated corn , soybeans and alfalfa . Roughly half of

1377-468: The highest point in the state of Oklahoma. A hiking trail of 4.2 miles (6.8 km) leads from the preserve to the summit which rises about 800 feet (240 m) above the level of the surrounding plains, the Nature Conservancy recommends four hours minimum for a round trip; overnight camping is not permitted. The mesa's highest point within Oklahoma is marked by a granite obelisk , and

1428-531: The land and hunted bison and pronghorn . Seasonally, these tribes would stage hunts in the adjacent mountains such as the Rocky Mountains . To manage the prairie, those tribes and their predecessors likely used fire. They would create fuel breaks, a gap in vegetation or other combustible material that acts as a barrier to slow or stop the progress of a brushfire or wildfire . A firebreak may occur naturally in areas without vegetation or other fuel, such as

1479-484: The nature reserve, there is also the Black Mesa State Park encompassing 549 acres (2.22 km ), with a 200 acres (0.81 km ) lake known as Lake Carl Etling . The park is a recreational area with many facilities for camping, hiking and many other outdoor activities. The park is about 15 miles away from the peak. The flora and fauna and terrain of Black Mesa are unique in Oklahoma, more typical of

1530-545: The new equipment, farmers turned up the native land, exposing the soil. By the time the 1930s came around, it was too late to protect the soil with grass. The unprotected soil contributed to the Dust Bowl by being blown around and creating dust storms. The Food Security Act of 1985 allowed for lower commodity prices and income supports. This Act also laid the foundation for the dairy herd buyout program. The Act made changes to several other USDA programs. Farmers enrolled in

1581-591: The north-northwest of Oklahoma. The erupting lava filled a stream channel in the Pliocene age Ogallala Formation . During the years since the eruption, the adjacent rock of the Ogallala and older formations have been removed leaving the valley-filling basalt perched atop a long ridge. Strata exposed along the mesa below the basalt and Ogallala include the Cretaceous Dakota Sandstone and

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1632-417: The original prairie extent is still present, however conservation in the long run is uncertain. Urban expansion is likely to continue having an impact. Climate change has less of an effect here than in other areas of Colorado due to the lower elevation, but can still be expected to affect the biome. The Prairie Dog Coalition is a non-profit group of scientists, organizations and citizens who are fighting for

1683-432: The population in this region residing in those metropolitan areas. The growth of these urban areas may negatively affect their local ecosystems due to the potential introduction of invasive species , decreasing the biodiversity in impacted areas. The human population today is still mainly dependent on agriculture , but fields such as energy exploration and mining are expanding. Large portions of central grasslands in

1734-419: The prairie, large-scale cattle and sheep ranching increased as well and later led to the development of gold , silver , and copper mining communities. In the 1920s, El Niño played a big role in the success of crop growing in the shortgrass prairie by causing more precipitation throughout the prairie and promoting plant growth. The success encouraged farmers to buy more efficient farming equipment. With

1785-401: The preserve is mostly shortgrass prairie with scattered juniper trees and Cholla cactus . The summit plateau is vegetatively classified as a "Bluestem-grama shortgrass community". The preserve contains 23 plant species listed by the state as "rare". The indigenous top predator is the mountain lion ; its cousin, the smaller bobcat , is also present. The more omnivorous American black bear

1836-463: The program agree to abolish environmentally destroyed land from agricultural production and cattle grazing to improve and regrow healthy grass and habitats in exchange for a yearly rental payment. Much of the shortgrass prairie is grazed by domestic livestock, with a human population that is dependent upon agriculture . However, energy and mining exploration have increased. There has been a precipitous decline of many species, but farmers and ranchers of

1887-526: The protection of prairie dogs and their environments. The alliance educates people on the declining populations of prairie dogs and engages with projects likely to destroy prairie dog habitat. The Southern Plains Land Trust (SPLT) creates and protects a network of shortgrass prairie preserves to ensure the future of all native animals and plants in the region. As of 2019, over 25,000 acres are included in SPLT's preserve network. The American Prairie Foundation

1938-401: The region are demonstrating that sound land management practices can help sustain the native species, natural communities, and ecosystems. The shortgrass prairie is a long thin stretch of territory that starts at the top of the country and makes its way to the bottom. Due to this, the climate varies from North to South, but is essentially the same from East to West. The temperature in the North

1989-428: The same term This disambiguation page lists articles about distinct geographical locations with the same name. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Black_Mesa&oldid=1177269855 " Category : Place name disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description

2040-442: The semi-arid grasslands and rocky buttes of eastern Colorado and New Mexico. Many species reach their easternmost or westernmost limits of their ranges here. Black Mesa Nature Preserve in particular covers around 60% of the flat portion of the mesa in Oklahoma. Wildlife reported in the park and the reserve are golden eagles, piñon jays, red-tailed hawks, and mule deer, part from a bird area for bird watchers. The vegetation of

2091-441: The short-grass prairie habitat next to a rivulet. Stuffed and mounted animals on display are the ones found in the mesa, including eagle, vulture, mule deer, pronghorn antelope, mountain lion, prairie dog, jackrabbit and badger. An ephemeral lake is also on display in a cross section format. Star gazers gather each October near Black Mesa for the annual Okie-Tex Star Party. Shortgrass prairie The prairie includes lands to

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2142-668: The shortgrass prairie has suffered the greatest biological destruction of any major biome in North America. The three central processes historically shaping the shortgrass prairie are herbivory, drought, and fire. Through habitat destruction , extermination of native herbivores and predators, proliferation of noxious weeds, and altered fire regimes have negatively been impacted. The shortgrass prairie consists of different varieties of vegetation. Notably abundant grasses are blue grama ( Bouteloua gracilis ), sod-forming grass, and buffalo grass ( Bouteloua dactyloides ). Less prevalent

2193-487: The shortgrass prairie, are one North America's fastest declining groups of animals. Some of birds still inhabiting the shortgrass prairie are the Cassin's sparrow , loggerhead shrike , sandhill crane , scaled quail , Swainson's hawk , burrowing owl , mountain plover and thick-billed longspur . Although the loggerhead shrike and scaled quail are among the more common birds to see in the shortgrass prairie, they are also on

2244-436: The shortgrass prairie. Domestic cattle were placed in the prairie and have essentially replaced the native species that used to live in the shortgrass prairie such as bison and elk. In addition, the top predators used to be the Great Plains wolf and the grizzly bear , but the coyote has replaced those animals. Prairie dogs were once the most abundant animals in the shortgrass prairie and historically lived in colonies across

2295-407: The steepest decline. Roundtail horned lizard , Texas garter snake , Texas horned lizard , Texas long-nosed snake and Western Massasauga are among the most dominant reptiles in the shortgrass prairie. Most of those animals are cold-blooded and so in the winter months, they live underground until spring comes. Today, cattle, pronghorn and white-tailed deer are the most abundant mammals on

2346-617: The top of the mesa has been known as a "geological wonder" of North America. There is abundant wildlife in this shortgrass prairie environment, including mountain lions , butterflies , and the Texas horned lizard . (In Colorado, Black Mesa also refers to a summit in Gunnison County and a mountain pass in Dolores County .) The plateau has been home to Plains Indians . In the late-nineteenth and early twentieth century

2397-457: The west as far as the eastern foothills of the Rocky Mountains and extends east as far as Nebraska and north into Saskatchewan . The prairie stretches through parts of Alberta , Wyoming , Montana , North Dakota , South Dakota , and Kansas , and passes south through the high plains of Colorado , Oklahoma , Texas , and New Mexico . The shortgrass prairie has a long human history. The Kiowa , Comanche , and Arapaho peoples occupied

2448-426: The years of greater precipitation, otherwise dormant wildflowers bloom in the spring, quickly diminishing in the hotter and drier summer months. The shortgrass prairie consists of many kinds of birds, reptiles, and mammals. Most of those animals have adapted to living in such an open area, and many have adapted to living under ground or traveling long distances to find shelter. Grassland birds, particularly those of

2499-458: The young animal sold for finishing in feedlots. Stocking rates and the economy in this region highly depend on the amount of precipitation, range conditions, and other environmental factors. Parts of the shortgrass prairie are untouched and pastoral. Many artists and photographers travel to this prairie for inspiration and economic opportunities. Paintings and photographs are often sold at high prices for their aesthetic beauty. The Dust Bowl brought

2550-482: Was a landscape so teeming with life it has been compared to the South American Pampas . Today the most populous animal on the prairie is domestic cattle. Pronghorn and prairie dogs still inhabit the prairie however, in fewer numbers. Top predators have been replaced by coyotes. Ecological processes on a large-scale level such as climate, fire and grazing have strong influences in this system. Today,

2601-414: Was once filled with huge herds of free-ranging bison and pronghorn . The prairie also teemed with large prairie dog colonies, deer and elk , and predators such as gray wolves and grizzly bears . The prairie is home to healthy populations of plains blue grama , a vast array of songbirds and raptors, carpets of buffalo grass and a broad diversity and abundance of wildflowers and butterflies . It

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