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2010 Map of Haystack Butte

Name: 2010 Topographic Map of Haystack Butte
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2010
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2010

About this map

Haystack Butte and its neighbor Little Haystack command this arid New Mexico landscape, a region defined by scattered ranching outposts and a complex system of water management. The map reveals the infrastructure of high-desert survival, with numerous named tanks like Henery Tanks, McBride Tank, and Rudolph Tank catching seasonal runoff to support livestock. This network of tanks and wells, including the aptly named Lucky Strike Well, connects the sprawling cattle operations such as the South Van Eaton Ranch and Chatten-Muncy Ranch.

Natural water features are few, though Bosque Spring and the basins of Ballard Lake and Ramadge Lake provide vital geographic anchors. The road network, including Rodeo Rd and Caprock Rd, follows the contours of the terrain to link isolated homesteads and grazing lands. The presence of features like Salt Cedar Tank indicates the specific vegetation and environmental challenges inherent in this eastern New Mexico rangeland during the early 21st century.