2017 Map of Cerro Negro

About this map

Santa Fe Trl cuts across this high-plains landscape in Mora County, marking a corridor of movement through the high elevations of northern New Mexico. The geography is defined by a series of prominent volcanic features and mesas, including the namesake Cerro Negro and the neighboring Cerro de Ore. Water is a critical and sparse element in this environment, represented by the spring at Ojo de las Gallinas, the ephemeral drainage of Gallinas Cr, and the enclosed basin of Laguna Salada. To the southeast, the terrain rises into the Turkey Mountains, while Mclamar Canyon provides a natural passage through the broken ground. This 2017 survey documents the modern topography of a region where historic transport routes and distinctive geologic formations have long dictated the patterns of human activity and land use.