1963 Map of Bixler Ranch

About this map

The Jicarilla Apache Indian Reservation Boundary cuts north-to-south through this Rio Arriba County landscape, dividing high mesas and deeply etched canyons. Small ranching outposts and cabins define the human footprint, from the namesake Bixler Ranch to Lynch Ranch and Vaqueros Cabin near Vaqueros Canyon. The terrain is characterized by the prominent Chicosa Ridge and the striking geological formation known as the Hole-in-the-rock Dike north of Bancos Lake. Evidence of early resource extraction appears via a Gas Well and a Pipeline cutting through the western drainage of Manuel Canyon. Life in this high-elevation backcountry was tied to reliable water sources such as Mud Spring and Preacher Tank, while the presence of a Cem near Cabresto Canyon provides a specific point of interest for genealogists tracing local families in the Carson National Forest.