2017 Map of Fourmile Canyon

About this map

Fourmile Canyon cuts a distinct path through this section of Rio Arriba County, defining a landscape dominated by high tablelands and seasonal drainage systems. The northern portion is characterized by the broad elevations of Frances Mesa, while to the south, the terrain rises again toward Fourmile Mesa and Devils Spring Mesa. This area is marked by a network of county roads, such as Co Rd 494 and Co Rd 362, which follow the natural contours of the canyons and mesa edges. These routes suggest a pattern of land use centered on ranching and resource access within the public land survey system. Small water features like Frances Cr and the narrow Encierro Canyon provide a detailed look at the localized hydrology of the New Mexico high desert during the mid-2010s.