2023 Map of Fort Union

About this map

Fort Union National Monument serves as the focal point of this Mora County landscape, preserving the site of the largest 19th-century frontier military post in the Southwest. The terrain is dominated by the dramatic elevation of Black Mesa to the north and the deep incision of Higgins Canyon, which cuts through the high plains. Vital water sources like Black Mesa Spring and Higgins Canyon Spring emphasize the essential relationship between water and survival in this arid environment. The map clearly delineates the historic path of the Old Santa Fe Trl as it approaches the fort ruins, tracing a legacy of trade and migration. To the south and east, the drainage of Wolf Creek and the Mora River define the lower basin, where the open landscape gives way to the historic transport corridors that once connected this remote outpost to the broader American frontier.