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1963 Map of Cornucopia Canyon

Name: 1963 Topographic Map of Cornucopia Canyon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1965
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1965

About this map

Cornucopia Ranch and the nearby Runyan Line Shack represent the isolated ranching outposts found in the high desert of Chaves County during the early 1960s. The landscape is dominated by the Cornucopia Hills and Collins Hills, which are cut by a complex system of drainage channels including Cornucopia Draw, Moccasin Draw, and Jernigan Wash.

Survival in this arid terrain relied heavily on water management, evidenced by the numerous earthen catchments scattered across the quadrangle. These include family or regional named landmarks such as Inman Tank, Venado Tank, and El Paso Tank. The presence of Dry Lakes and a designated Landing Area underscores the vast, open nature of this Chaves County range, where aviation and reliable water sources were critical for maintaining these remote livestock operations.