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2004 Map of Elk

Name: 2004 Topographic Map of Elk
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2006
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2006

About this map

The Rio Peñasco carves a central course through this portion of the Lincoln National Forest, a landscape defined by an intricate network of deep canyons and seasonal water tanks. Settlement is sparse, anchored by the community of Elk and the nearby Elk Cem, which serve as vital reference points for local genealogy and history along the border of Otero and Chaves counties.

The map reveals a reliance on water management in this arid environment, documented through numerous named catchments such as Mathews Tank No 1 and Turpin Tank. Significant topographical features like Wind Mountain and Agua Chiquita rise above the drainage systems of Sixteen Springs Canyon and Little Felix Canyon. The presence of the Third Standard Parallel South underscores the systematic federal land surveying that organized this high-country terrain for ranching and forest management.