2020 Map of Lava

About this map

The Fra Cristobal Range dominates this high-desert landscape in Socorro and Sierra Counties, rising sharply from the eastern bank of the Rio Grande. This 2020 survey illustrates a sparsely settled region defined by its geological stature and infrastructure corridors. The settlement of Lava sits at the northern end of a valley floor, positioned along the historic transport line of the A T S F Railroad Rd. This rail line, alongside Powerline Rd, tracks through the lowlands between the mountains and the eastern plateau. The topography is defined by significant elevation changes, from the river valley through the steep slopes of Fra Cristobal Mtn and the recessed drainage of Silver Canyon, showing the geographic isolation and character of the New Mexico interior in the early twenty-first century.