2023 Map of Dugout Canyon

About this map

The San Andres Mountains dominate the eastern edge of this Sierra County landscape, where the rugged terrain transitions into the restricted territory of the White Sands Missile Range. This map documents a desert environment defined by critical water infrastructure and remote access routes, centered on the drainage of Dugout Canyon. Scattered throughout the arid basins are artificial water catchments like BLM Tank and Crispy Tank, which suggest the area's continued use for livestock or wildlife management despite the proximity to military operations. A network of primitive roads, including Harding Rd and Co Rd Ao23, provides the only passage through this sparsely populated section of New Mexico, illustrating the isolation and specialized land use common in the foothills of the high desert.