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1995 Map of Cottonwood Canyon

Name: 1995 Topographic Map of Cottonwood Canyon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1998
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1998

About this map

The Continental Divide snake-like path marks the high ground of this high-elevation landscape, where the waters of the Las Tusas Valley and Cottonwood Canyon begin their respective journeys. This 1995 revision reveals a remote ranching and forest landscape defined by water scarcity and rugged relief. Isolated holdings like Coddington Ranch, Irvin Ranch, and Bass Ranch represent the persistent human footprint in the Cibola National Forest, while the tiny settlement of Graves sits near the head of the canyon.

A network of specialized water features, including Thurlow Tank, Rock Dam, and Slab Pole Tank, highlights the essential infrastructure required for livestock and survival in these highlands. The topography is dominated by dramatic drainages such as Monighan Canyon and Peavine Canyon, which cut through the terrain below Lookout Mountain. For the historian or researcher, the map preserves the exact placement of these mountain outposts and the winding primitive roads that connect them across the McKinley and Cibola county line.