Southern Colorado Adventure Riders

Overview
Johnson Mesa is located in northern New Mexico just south of Raton. The mesa, which runs east-west, is approximately 14 miles long and between 2 and 6 miles wide. This high plateau rises 2,000 feet above the valley floor offering expansive views of the surrounding area. At times the mesa has a barren moonscape-like surface while other times of the year it is lush and beautiful. The first white settler, a rancher named Elijah “Lige” Johnson, built Johnson Ranch in 1882 and grazed his cattle on the mesa. Later in 1887, a railroad worker named Marion Bell, led a group of workers and miners to the mesa top. The small community, named Bell, raised potatoes, oats, grain, vegetables, hay and cattle. The community included a small post office, general store and a historic church called St. John Methodist Episcopal Church  which was built in 1897.  The church still stands to day and is open to the public.