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2023 Map of Hard Ground Flats

Name: 2023 Topographic Map of Hard Ground Flats
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2023
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2023

About this map

Hard Ground Flats dominates the central landscape of this McKinley County quadrangle, situated in an area of high mesas and deeply cut canyons. The terrain is defined by a network of drainage systems such as Mexican Cooking Canyon, Window Rock Canyon, and Coyote Canyon, which all feed into the broader topographical structure of the high desert. Along the southern edge, the Puerco River corridor provides a clear geographic boundary near Ram Mesa.

Transportation through this high-altitude environment is marked by historic routes including the Wagon Trail Rd and Hard Ground Canyon Rd, reflecting long-standing patterns of movement across the flats. Localized water sources like Red Water Pond and Sitting Water Canyon indicate the critical role of sparse hydrographic features in this arid region, providing essential landmarks for navigation and land use within the tribal lands of the Southwest.