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2010 Map of Bull Gap SW

Name: 2010 Topographic Map of Bull Gap SW
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2010
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2010

About this map

White Sands Missile Range dominates this corner of Lincoln County, New Mexico, where the infrastructure of military testing intersects with the stark geology of the high desert. The map reveals a strictly controlled network of restricted access roads, including primary arteries like WSMR P Route 8 and WSMR P Route 9, which crisscross a landscape defined by arroyos and drainage patterns.

On the eastern edge, the dark volcanic flows of The Malpais create a distinct geological boundary. Despite the heavy military presence and the complex grid of secondary routes such as WSMR S Route 335 and WSMR S Route 336, a few vestiges of local ranching remain, most notably Withers Ranch in the southeast. This survey provides a precise record of how defense requirements have reshaped the utility of this arid basin while preserving the original ranching outposts.