2011 Map of Cottonwood Canyon

About this map

Las Tusas Valley defines the northern reaches of this high-altitude landscape, where the drainage patterns of Cottonwood Creek and Sawyer Creek intersect with several deep canyons. This McKinley County terrain is marked by a network of ranching infrastructure, featuring established sites such as Irvin Ranch, Bass Ranch, and Coddington Ranch. The reliance on surface water management is evident through numerous named stock tanks like Rock Stock Tank, Thurlow Tank, and the Bill Morgan Tank, which supported livestock across the open range. Steep topographical breaks occur along the Lookout Mountain Rim, dropping into Peavine Canyon and Monighan Canyon. In the southern portion of the quadrangle, Rice Park and the Rice Park Dam provide a focal point for water catchment near Prairie Dog Tank, illustrating the essential relationship between the geography and the rural western ranching economy of the early 21st century.