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2017 Map of Bancos Mesa

Name: 2017 Topographic Map of Bancos Mesa
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2017
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2017

About this map

Carson National Forest land defines this portion of Rio Arriba County, where the high desert plateau is carved into a complex system of mesas and deep drainage canyons. The topography is dominated by the massive Carracas Mesa in the north and Bancos Mesa to the southeast, separated by intricate networks of waterless draws like Eula Canyon and Orcones Canyon. This landscape of high benches, including Quintana Mesa and Anselmo Bench, reflects a remote environment where water management is critical for land use, as evidenced by the distribution of stock ponds such as Sanchez Tank, Alamo Tank, and Horse Tank.

Linear features like Rosa #48 and Rosa #61 trace the canyon floors and mesa tops, indicating the modern transit and maintenance routes through the forest. Significant landmarks like the sharp Pecho de la Doncella and the high Carracas Rim provide clear navigational markers against the backdrop of the New Mexico interior. To the south, the terrain descends toward Cabresto Creek and the wide Laguna Seca Mesa, showing the transition toward more open basin geography.