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1965 Map of Canyon Creek Mountains

Name: 1965 Topographic Map of Canyon Creek Mountains
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1970
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1970

About this map

The Canyon Creek Mountains define the heart of this high-elevation landscape within the Gila National Forest. This mid-1960s survey captures a transition in land use where the northern reaches of the Gila Wilderness meet isolated outposts of ranching life. The presence of Hulse Ranch near Canyon Creek and Double Springs Ranch to the south suggests the enduring necessity of water management in this arid terrain, a fact reinforced by the high density of catchment tanks like Upper Cooney Tank and Stovepipe Tank.

A network of pack trails and jeep trails connects these remote features, winding around Loco Mountain and crossing through Bull Pass Canyon. This infrastructure served both the forestry needs of the era and the remaining livestock operations. From the peaks of East Elk Mountain down to the open expanse of the Prairie, the map records a specific moment in New Mexico's interior where resource extraction and conservation efforts overlapped, evidenced by the named wells and tanks scattered across the Elk Mountains.