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1963 Map of Firman Canyon

Name: 1963 Topographic Map of Firman Canyon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1967
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1967

About this map

The Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation and the Lincoln National Forest dominate this high-altitude topography in Otero County. Centered on the South Fork Tularosa Canyon, the map reveals a landscape defined by its vital water sources, including Head Springs in the north and Silver Springs in the south. The narrow drainage of the Rio Tularosa cuts through the terrain, flanked by a network of side canyons such as Firman Canyon and Morgan Canyon.

Remote outposts like Red Cabin and a scattering of named tanks, such as Burnt Canyon Tank, point to the region's ranching and resource management history. The reliance on springs for both people and livestock is evident in the naming of Cienega Spring, Turkey Pen Spring, and Five Spring. High ridges and steep canyon walls are navigated only by occasional jeep trails, emphasizing the isolation of this mountain environment during the mid-1960s.