First use of name; intent to name not stated. Probably named for Cottonwood Canyon; is a coal zone in Raton Formation that crops out in Cottonwood and Caliente Canyons, Colfax Co, NM in Las Vegas-Raton basin. Present in the central part of Raton coal field, where it underlies an area of about 26 sq km. It occurs at about the same elevation and stratigraphic position as Ancho Canyon coal bed (first used), and is possibly correlative with York Canyon coal bed; relations not established exactly. Ranges in thickness from a few inches to 7 aggregate ft of coal in a 9-ft zone, but the bed is characterized by several shale partings and has less commercial potential than many other beds in the field. The coal beds in Raton Formation may prove to be the most economically significant in Raton field. Special circumstances of deposition control the accumulation of thick coal deposits; because these conditions are of a regional nature, occurrence of one thick coal at a particular stratigraphic position in one area should provide a clue to position of other similar deposits elsewhere in basin. Is Paleocene age.

Source: GNU records (USGS DDS-6; Denver GNULEX).