Loading map...

2013 Map of Cerro

Name: 2013 Topographic Map of Cerro
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2013
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2013

About this map

Cerro sits at the base of the Taos Mountains, anchoring a landscape where high-desert agriculture meets the rising peaks of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The settlement pattern here is defined by an intricate network of irrigation, including the Sunshine Canal, Cerro Community Ditch, and a series of numbered laterals like Number One Ditch and Number Two Ditch that feed the fields of Buena Vista. These water systems represent a long-standing tradition of managing snowmelt from the nearby canyons.

To the east, the terrain climbs sharply into the Carson National Forest, marked by prominent summits such as Virsylvia Peak and Cabresto Peak. The transition from the flat Sunshine Valley to deep cuts like Urraca Canyon and Jaracito Canyon illustrates the geographical divide between the valley's rural homesteads and the protected mountain wilderness. Local history is preserved at El Cerro Cem and Latir Cem, which serve as quiet landmarks for the families of El Rito and surrounding communities.