1989 Map of Los Montoyas

About this map

Los Montoyas and San Augustin anchor this late-20th-century landscape in San Miguel County, where the high mesa country meets the river valleys of the Sangre de Cristo foothills. The map reveals a transition between established agricultural settlements and protected lands, such as the Las Vegas Nat Wildlife Refuge in the north. Water management is a primary theme, evidenced by the San Augustin Dam on the Gallinas River and a Gaging Station Gage 6728 that monitors the flow through Apache Canyon. The rugged geography is defined by broad plateaus including Las Vegas Mesa and Apache Mesa, separated by deep drainages like La Cueva Canyon. Small rural clusters like Sheridan and the site of Los Fuertes illustrate the scattered settlement patterns of this high-altitude region, while various Check Dams along Arroyo La Manga show local efforts to control erosion and seasonal runoff.