1958 Map of Canelo Pass

About this map

High-altitude ranching and the arid headwaters of the Santa Cruz River define this corner of the Arizona borderlands. Located within the Coronado National Forest, the terrain transitions from the open grasslands of the San Rafael Valley to the wooded slopes of the Canelo Hills. This mid-century survey documents a landscape of scattered working estates, including the Little Outfit Ranch, Vaca Ranch, and Ki-He-Kah Ranch, alongside evidence of earlier activity at a small cemetery and various prospects. The map’s dense network of livestock tanks, such as Bog Hole Tank and Bear Tank, illustrates the critical importance of water management in this high-desert environment. Prominent landmarks like Lookout Knoll and Jones Mesa provide orientation across a complex system of drainages, including Cherry Creek and Turkey Creek.