Abstract The Raton basin of southern Colorado is geologically analogous to other Rocky Mountain Laramide basins that contain areally and volumetrically large accumulations of natural gas reservoired in tight Cretaceous and Tertiary sandstones and located in the deeper parts of the basins. Such basin-centered gas accumulations are recognized as a class distinct from conventional structural or stratigraphic traps. Based on geologic analogy, specific detailed geologic mapping, observed gas shows, and bore-hole log analysis, a basin-centered gas accumulation is postulated to exist in the deeper part of the Raton basin in the Trinidad Sandstone.