2013 Map of Bancos Mesa

About this map

Carson National Forest dominates this Rio Arriba County landscape, where the rugged canyon systems of northern New Mexico meet the waters of the San Juan River. The terrain is characterized by high plateau features like Carracas Mesa and Bancos Mesa, separated by a complex network of drainages including Alamo Canyon, Eul Canyon, and Wild Horse Canyon. This 2013 survey provides a detailed look at the rural ranching and resource-management infrastructure of the region, identifying remote outposts such as Gomez Ranch, Espinosa Ranch, and Bixler Ranch. The presence of numerous livestock-watering features like Log Tank, Chavez Tank, and Velasquez Spring indicates a land deeply tied to cattle and sheep grazing. This map captures the intersection of traditional land use and federal forest management in a high-desert environment defined by dramatic elevation changes between points like Eul Point and the deep floor of Cañon Bancos.