1961 Map of Cerro Parido

About this map

Sandoval Ranch and the related holdings of Joe Montoya Ranch and Ernest Montoya Ranch anchor this landscape of the New Mexico high desert. The 1961 survey illustrates a region defined by complex topography and strategic water management, where numerous tanks such as Heifer Tank and Seco Tank supported livestock grazing across the Ignacio Chavez Grant Boundary. The northern portion of the Cibola National Forest dominates the southern half of the sheet, characterized by deep incisions like Cañon Blanco and prominent rises such as Cerro Parido. Evidence of early natural resource interests appears near Arroyo Azabache at Coal Spring, suggesting a history of local prospecting. The mapping of Ojo Azabache and various springs highlights the critical importance of water sources in navigating the transition between high mesas and the canyon floors.