2017 Map of Chicken Mountain

About this map

Chicken Mountain and the high ridges of Sierra Lucero dominate this landscape in western New Mexico, where the terrain is marked by a complex system of drainage draws and livestock tanks. This 2017 survey reveals an arid ranching environment where water management is central to the land's utility, evidenced by a high density of named tanks such as Rough and Muddy Tank, Mule Tank, and the high-altitude Cerro Alesna Tanks. The presence of these features suggests a history of cattle ranching on the high mesas, where seasonal runoff is captured in depressions like Dry Lake or channeled through the Chicken Mountain Draw. Distinctive geological formations like Horse Mtn and Mesa Cimarron provide vertical relief against the winding paths of Cañada Ancha and Cañada Bonita. For researchers, the map provides a contemporary view of land divisions within T6N R5W and T5N R4W, tracing the modern topography of this remote portion of Cibola County.