2010 Map of Barela

About this map

The settlement of Barela sits at the northern edge of this high-altitude landscape, where the drainage of San Francisco Creek meets the Hermosa Valley Reservoir. The terrain is defined by a complex network of canyons and mesas, including Largo Canyon, Snyder Canyon, and the prominent Barela Mesa. This 2010 survey highlights a history of land use ranging from the industrial Mararski Mine and the recreational Raton Ski Basin to numerous cattle tanks and springs that support the high-desert environment. Family names and local history are preserved in labels for landmarks like Messer Flat, Martinez Park, and the Barela Cemetery. The southern reaches of the map show the headwaters of Chicorica Creek as it flows south from Little Fishers Peak Mesa, illustrating the hydrological divide between the various canyons like McCoy Canyon and Medina Canyon that carve through the mesas.