1963 Map of Coyote Draw

About this map

Coyote Draw and Fivemile Draw cut through this high desert portion of Chaves County, defining a landscape where water management was essential to ranching survival. The map illustrates a network of named water sources and livestock infrastructure including Red Bluff Well, Savage Well, and the Smith Windmill. To the south, the terrain descends toward the Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge, featuring distinctive alkali flats and depressions like Yellow Lake Sink and Cocklebur Lakes. This 1960s environment is characterized by the presence of Red Bluff Ranch and a significant pipeline corridor, showing the intersection of traditional land use and mid-century industrial development. Localized landmarks such as Garcia Flat and the meandering Arroyo del Macho provide specific points of interest for those tracing the historical geography of the Pecos River valley hinterlands.