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1953 Map of Frijoles

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Frijoles
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1958
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1958

About this map

Ancient Pueblo Ruins and later Spanish land grants define this high-altitude landscape in the mid-1950s. The survey captures the complex intersection of the Santa Clara Indian Reservation and the Ramon Vigil Grant, bordering the protected canyons of Bandelier National Monument. The geography transitions from the volcanic high points of Cerro Grande and St Peters Dome down into a network of steep mesas, including Twomile Mesa and Frijoles Mesa.

Deep in the southern canyons, the map documents the remains of the mining era at Bland and Pines, alongside more recent agricultural attempts like the Bruce Place and Evans Griffin Place. The presence of the Ski Lodge and Lookout Tower near Pajarito Mountain suggests the area's mid-century shift toward recreation. Water remains the primary shaper of the terrain, with Upper Frijoles Falls and Lower Frijoles Falls cutting through the narrow volcanic tuff canyons of the Pajarito Plateau.