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1963 Map of Cal Ship Mesa

Name: 1963 Topographic Map of Cal Ship Mesa
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1967
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1967

About this map

Datil Mountains terrain dominates this high-altitude corner of the Cibola National Forest, where 1960s mapping reveals an intricate network of drainage canyons and livestock infrastructure. Water, the defining resource of the high desert, is meticulously documented through numerous named sources such as Stiver Spring, Skeleton Spring, and Chavez Spring. The map captures a working landscape of ranching and land management, evident in the distribution of stock-watering features like White Mesa Tank, Government Tank, and the Double Tanks Wells.

Transport through these uplands is restricted to rugged corridors, primarily labeled as Jeep Trail, which follow the contours of landforms like Cal Ship Mesa and White Mesa. The transition between the high plateaus and the valley floors is marked by deep incisions such as Thompson Canyon and Gooseberry Canyon, illustrating the erosional character of the region. This document serves as a detailed record of water rights and remote access points in Catron County during the mid-twentieth century.