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2023 Map of La Cinta Mesa

Name: 2023 Topographic Map of La Cinta Mesa
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2023
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2023

About this map

The Canadian River cuts through the southwestern corner of this landscape, carving a path beneath the elevated heights of La Cinta Mesa and Chical Mesa. This territory in San Miguel County is defined by its drainage systems, where Tulosa Creek and La Cinta Creek flow from the north toward the river valley. The topography is marked by significant elevation changes, particularly at Puertocito Pass, which provides a natural transit point through the breaks between mesas.

Water management is central to this arid environment, as evidenced by a series of named reservoirs and tanks distributed across the high ground. These include High Lonesome Tank, Sunflower Tank, and La Cinta Tank, suggesting a landscape adapted for livestock and range management. Further south, Antelope Tank sits near the drainage of Chical Creek, illustrating how the ranching economy utilizes both seasonal stream flow and constructed catchments to sustain operations in the high desert.