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1996 Map of Bowie Mountain North

Name: 1996 Topographic Map of Bowie Mountain North
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2002
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2002

About this map

Fort Bowie National Historic Site anchors the southern portion of this landscape, marking the strategically vital passage of Apache Pass between the Dos Cabezas Mountains and the Chiricahua Mountains. The map traces the Old Military Reservation Boundary, reflecting the area's 19th-century importance as a frontier outpost protecting travelers and mail routes. Within the historic site, Ruins and a Visitors Center are noted near the spring-fed drainages of Siphon Canyon and Apache Spring.

The surrounding terrain is defined by extreme elevation changes, from the heights of Bowie Mtn and Helens Dome down to the drainage of Ninemile Creek. Evidence of cattle ranching and early mining is scattered throughout the canyons, including Ninemile Ranch, the HYL Ranch, and the Silverstrike Mine. Water sources are critical identifiers in this arid environment, with numerous points like Quillian Well, Goodwin Spring, and Sheep Canyon Spring providing the only reliable waypoints across the desert floor.