1967 Map of Culebra Peak

About this map

The Sangre De Cristo range dominates this high-altitude terrain, where the rugged peaks of Culebra Peak and Purgatoire Peak form a formidable divide along the boundary between Costilla and Las Animas counties. This 1967 field check reveals a landscape defined by sharp elevation changes and high-mountain hydrology, with water flowing from alpine sources like Leandro Lake into diverse drainage systems including North Vallejos Creek and Vermejo Creek. The eastern portion of the sheet is largely occupied by the Maxwell land grant area, a region characterized by limited human infrastructure save for a network of Jeep Trails that navigate the ridges. Geographic landmarks such as Red Mountain and Vermejo Peak provide fixed points for understanding the early 20th-century ranching and land management patterns of this high-country environment.