2020 Map of Candy Mesa

About this map

Candy Mesa and Taiban Mesa dominate this high-plains landscape, where the boundary between Quay County and De Baca County traverses an open range defined by dramatic escarpments. The terrain is marked by significant topographical relief, falling away from the mesas into Cottonwood Canyon and the broad Gerhardt Valley. Water is a seasonal and scarce resource, indicated by ephemeral drainages such as Truchas Cr and Red Tank Cr that cut through the canyon floors. A sparse network of ranch roads, including House Cap Rd and Long Canyon Rd, provides the only access across these large land blocks, illustrating the enduring agricultural and pastoral character of this portion of eastern New Mexico.