2011 Map of Harden Cienega

About this map

Harden Cienega sits at a crossroads of high desert canyons and essential water sources along the New Mexico and Arizona border. The San Francisco River cuts through the northern reaches of the quadrangle, flanked by prominent features like Antelope Mesa and Dix Mesa. This landscape is defined by its ranching infrastructure, evidenced by a network of scattered corrals including the Arizona Antelope Corral, Prospect Corral, and Boiling Mesa Corral. These sites, alongside numerous artificial watering points like Dix Saddle Number One Tank and Prospect Tank, illustrate the adaptation of the land for livestock in a territory where natural springs like Lower Coalson Spring and Rock Spring are sparse but critical. High peaks such as Baldy Mountain and Grassy Mountain oversee a complex system of drainages, from Big Lue Canyon to the winding Harden Cienega Creek, marking a terrain where navigation follows the natural contours of the mesas and draws.