2023 Map of Hardscrabble Mountains

About this map

White Sands Missile Range dominates the central portion of this Sierra County landscape, marking an era of federal restricted land use in the New Mexico desert. The topography is defined by the sharp elevations of the Hardscrabble Mountains and the San Andres Mountains, where water is a precious and scattered resource found at sites like Bear Den Spring, Rock House Spring, and Hardscrabble Spring. Transportation through this arid terrain relies on historic corridors such as Rhodes Pass and Indian Trail Gap, while unpaved routes like WSMR P Route 6 weave between high points including Grandaddy Peak and Skillet Knob. The map reveals a complex network of canyons and draws, such as Shannon Canyon and Brushy Draw, providing a detailed look at the drainage patterns and geological formations that characterize the northern reaches of the missile range.