2011 Map of Beaty Canyon

About this map

The Purgatoire River winds through the northwestern corner of this high plains landscape in Las Animas County, carving deep through the canyon-and-bench topography. This 2011 survey illustrates a region defined by livestock ranching and water management, where a vast network of windmills and small earthen dams sustains life on the arid range. Named features like the Padilla Windmill, Sixteen Windmill, and Red Bench Windmill serve as critical landmarks for local genealogists and researchers tracking the placement of historic ranching homesteads and water rights.