1953 Map of Canones

About this map

Piedra Lumbre Grant and the Juan Jose Lobato Grant define much of this Northern New Mexico landscape, where land tenure reflects centuries of communal and private history. At the heart of the terrain, the village of Cañones is situated along Cañones Creek, anchored by the Cañones Grade School and the Capilla de San Miguel. The settlement pattern follows the narrow valley floors, contrasted by the massive plateaus of Cañones Mesa and Polvadera Mesa. To the north, the Rio Chama cuts through the high desert, while the iconic silhouette of Cerro Pedernal stands as a prominent landmark in the Santa Fe National Forest. This mapping from 1953, with later revisions, documents the early road network including the Polvadera Road and various Jeep Trails that provided access to isolated points like Salazar Ranch.