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2017 Map of El Rito

Name: 2017 Topographic Map of El Rito
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2017
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2017

About this map

El Rito and the nearby settlement of Las Placitas serve as the primary human centers in this high-desert landscape of northern New Mexico. The area is deeply marked by the intricate network of canyons and arroyos that feed into the central El Rito waterway, including Stone Canyon to the north and Alamosa Canyon to the south. Large portions of the territory fall within the Carson National Forest, where the topography rises sharply toward features like Sierra Negra and the expansive Pinon Mesa.

The map reveals a landscape managed for water resources, dotted with numerous named tanks and springs such as CCC Spring, Alemanes Tank, and Prairie Dog Trick Tank. These features, along with the system of county roads like Co RD 215 and Co RD 280, reflect the essential infrastructure required for ranching and forest management in this arid environment. The naming of canyons like Madera Cañon and Angel Canyon provides a clear view of the local geographical nomenclature used by residents and foresters alike.