2023 Map of Garcia Creek

About this map

Garcia Creek and Mesita Creek weave through this high-plains landscape of Union County, New Mexico, where the terrain is marked by ephemeral watercourses and isolated topographic features like Orphan Hill. The area retains traces of early regional settlement patterns, most notably through the presence of rural burial grounds including Garcia Plaza Cem and Ojo Bonito Cem. These sites, situated near the headwaters of Abbott Creek and Bushnell Creek, serve as significant markers of the families who once worked these arid range lands. The map details a network of unpaved county roads, such as Pennington Rd and Bluefront Rd, that provide access to the remote ranching country between the various creek drainages. This modern survey reflects the enduring character of the Llano Estacado's northwestern reaches, where the drainage systems of Pinabete Creek and Tramperos Creek define the movement across the landscape.