1966 Map of Colorado Canyon

About this map

Sumner Lake and its northern shoreline define the southwestern portion of this topographic survey, marking the transition from the high plains into the drainage of the Pecos River system. The landscape is characterized by deep erosional features like Colorado Canyon and seasonal watercourses such as Alamogordo Creek and Arroyo Potrillo, which carve through the high desert. The survey captures the pastoral isolation of the mid-1960s, documenting family-held lands such as McRee Ranch and Head Ranch. The boundary between Guadalupe and De Baca counties bisects the northern half of the sheet, where cattle tanks and windmills provide the only structural landmarks across the mesas. The inclusion of Sumner Lake State Park illustrates the mid-century development of water resources and recreation in this arid region of east-central New Mexico.