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1981 Map of Dugout Canyon

Name: 1981 Topographic Map of Dugout Canyon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1981
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1981

About this map

White Sands Missile Range borders the eastern edge of this arid landscape, where the Chalk Hills rise sharply above the basin floor. The terrain is defined by a sparse but vital network of water improvements, reflecting the ranching and resource extraction activities typical of this part of Sierra County in the early 1980s. Named livestock watering points such as Rabbit Tank, Crispy Tank, and Marys Tank are scattered across the desert flats, indicating the management of open-range grazing.

Industrial activity is evidenced by scattered Drill Hole locations and a Gravel Pit near the northern boundary. Transportation is limited to a network of unimproved tracks and a prominent Jeep Trail, which provides the primary access through the undulating country south of Dugout Canyon. Landmarks like Mountain Well and High Lonesome Well serve as critical navigational markers in an otherwise open and isolated reach of the New Mexico desert.