Loading map...

2023 Map of Cerro De La Olla

Name: 2023 Topographic Map of Cerro De La Olla
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2023
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2023

About this map

The volcanic topography of Taos County defines this landscape, dominated by the prominent shield volcano of Cerro de la Olla in the southern portion of the quadrangle. Most of the terrain is protected within the Río Grande del Norte National Monument, a vast high-altitude plateau characterized by sagebrush and volcanic features. To the west, the smaller volcanic cone of Cerrito Negro stands as a distinct landmark against the surrounding plains.

Water drainage across this arid environment is channeled through features like Arroyo Punche, which cuts across the central flats toward the Rio Grande gorge located beyond the map's eastern boundary. The absence of traditional towns or settlements reflects the area's history as open range and protected public land, where the topography itself dictated the movement of people and livestock through the high desert. The grid lines of the Public Land Survey System, including t30n r11e, provide the primary human-made structure across this largely undeveloped terrain.