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1983 Map of Animas

Name: 1983 Topographic Map of Animas
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1983
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1983

About this map

The Continental Divide winds through the high desert basins of the Bootheel region in the early 1980s, marking a landscape defined by isolated mountain ranges and broad valleys. This arid frontier is punctuated by the vast Playas Lake and the rugged peaks of the Peloncillo Mountains and Big Hatchet Mountains. The mapping reveals a distinct pattern of land use where cattle ranching and mining operations like the International Mine and Gillespie Mine anchor the sparse population.

Transportation corridors follow the natural topography of the Animas Valley and Playas Valley, including the Southern Pacific Railroad and remnants of an Old Railroad Grade. Small settlements such as Animas and Hachita serve as vital hubs in this expansive territory. South of the international border, the landscape continues into Chihuahua, Mexico, showing Mexican ranchos and settlements like El Milagro and Los Moscas, illustrating the cross-border continuity of this desert environment.