Should We Be Concerned? A Brief History of Colorado’s Volcano

Colorado is home to countless geological wonders including Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, Garden of the Gods, and Cave of the Winds, to name a few. However, one of these wonders of nature is a bit more intimidating: a real-life active volcano.

Read More: Explore the Amazing Hike to Colorado's Active Volcano at Dotsero |

Just west of Gypsum, Colorado, and just east of Glenwood Canyon sits a tiny town right off of I-70 called Dotsero.

For years, Dotsero was known for two things: a rural trailer park and an active volcano.

A Brief History of Colorado's Only Active Volcano

Officially known as Dotsero Crater, the volcano was first documented as being discovered in 1888 by P.H. Van Diest. Shortly thereafter, geologist R.E. Lakes studied the area and based on the volcanic rock he discovered, determined that the volcano had erupted during the Earth's "human period."

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Then, 1933 would see geologist R.E. Landon claim that the volcano erupted within Earth's Holocene Period, followed by another geologist, F.F. Giegengack, claiming that it last erupted in the Late Wisconsin period.

As time progressed and technology followed suit, more accurate information became available leading to today's consensus that the volcano erupted over 4,000 years ago around the year 2,220 B.C.E.

This of course begs the question, should we be concerned that another eruption could be on the way?

Should We Be Concerned About Colorado's Volcano Erupting Again?

Geologists say that any volcano last known to have erupted within the last 10,000 years could very easily become active again and erupt, and Dotsero Crater falls into this category.

However, at this point in time, there isn't any reason to believe that an eruption is on the way and even if Dotsero Crater did erupt again, the USGS estimates that it would primarily cause problems for nearby air travel.