2017 Map of Horse Lake

About this map

The Continental Divide defines the western terrain of this 2017 study, where the high-altitude landscape of Rio Arriba County is marked by a complex system of ephemeral basins and dramatic geological formations. The central focus is the eponymous Horse Lake, flanked by the elevated Horse Lake Mesa and the nearby Horse Lake Cr. This region exhibits a distinct drainage pattern where water bodies such as Cinnamon Lake, Enbom Lake, and Paiz Pond dot the meadows and canyons west of the divide. To the east, the topography shifts towards sharp verticality along Tecolote Rim and the massive Tecolote Mesa. Strategic passages like Horse Lake Gap and Middle Gap reveal the natural corridors used to navigate this uplifted country. The presence of features like Boiler Canyon and Sulphur Canyon suggests a landscape shaped by significant erosional forces, typical of the high New Mexican mesas.