Quemado, NM

Quemado is a census-designated place in Catron County, New Mexico, United States. The 2020 census counted 163 residents. Walter De Maria's 1977 art installation, The Lightning Field, is between Quemado and Pie Town, New Mexico. Quemado was named by Spanish conquistadors due to the blackened stones that cover the earth. Quemado makes sense once you see how its past, landscape, and current gathering spots overlap. The useful thing to know about Quemado is that its older landmarks and current settings belong to one connected place. Quemado was caused by a fire that preceded the arrival of the Spanish in the early 1500s and the carbon remains partially due to paltry rainfall in the region.