2017 Map of La Paloma Canyon

About this map

Lincoln National Forest encompasses the high desert terrain of Otero County, where the southern reaches of the Guadalupe Mountains meet the Brokeoff Mountains. This landscape is defined by an intricate network of drainage systems, including the prominent La Paloma Canyon and Kingston Canyon, which carve through the limestone heights. The map reveals the critical importance of water management in this arid environment through the presence of numerous livestock watering stations or "tanks," such as La Paloma Tank, Dutch Tank, and the Guadalupe Tank. A distinctive geological feature known as The Rim marks a significant elevation change in the northeastern corner. Ranchers and land managers navigate this territory via a system of county roads, such as Co RD g014 and Co RD g017, which follow the natural contours of the canyons. The inclusion of names like Arch Lewis Tank suggests a history of local family land use within these federal forest boundaries.