1979 Map of Fort Sumner

Beyond the river valley, the geography rises toward the expansive Conejo Mesa and the prominent escarpment of The Caprock. This survey illustrates a late-1970s ranching and transit economy, characterized by numerous windmills and scattered water bodies such as Red Lake and Salt Lake. The transition from the alluvial basin to high mesas like Taiban Mesa creates a distinct topography where state roads and federal highways, including US Highway 60, trace the paths of least resistance across the open New Mexico terrain.