2023 Map of La Mesita Negra

About this map

The Rio Puerco carves a winding path through this arid landscape west of Albuquerque, defining the drainage patterns and historical movement across the high desert. Near the center of the sheet, the settlement of La Mesita Negra sits as a lonely waypoint amidst a network of modern transit and utility corridors. To the south, the prominent rise of Cerro Colorado anchors the terrain, while the deep cuts of Cañada del Oro and Cañada los Apaches channel seasonal runoff from the surrounding mesas. The infrastructure of the modern era is etched into the earth here, ranging from the broad sweep of Central Ave NW to industrial markers like the Gas Pipeline Track. This area represents the convergence of older ranching and tribal routes, such as Tribal Rd N57, with the expanding reach of the city's western edge, evidenced by the developing street names like Speedway Park Blvd NW.