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2013 Map of Bear Spring

Name: 2013 Topographic Map of Bear Spring
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2013
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2013

About this map

Lincoln National Forest encompasses this high-altitude landscape in Otero County, where a complex network of drainage systems defines the terrain. The presence of Jeffers Cem and Jeffers Spring indicates family-named history tied to the local water sources and homesteads that once dotting these canyons. Water management is a primary feature of the era, visible through remote infrastructure like Lick Trick Tank, Lick Tank, and Upper Long Tank, which supported livestock and forest management.

Strategically placed overlooking the canyons, the Carrisa Lookout Tower served as a vital fire-watch post for the surrounding wilderness. The map details numerous named drainages such as Bluewater Canyon, Sleepy Grass Canyon, and Hoosier Canyon, illustrating how the land's hydrology dictated both the movement of people and the placement of forest resources. These features provide a record of rural Otero County before modern developments altered the character of the mountain forest.