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1965 Map of Malpais Hill

Name: 1965 Topographic Map of Malpais Hill
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1967
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1967

About this map

Tres Hermanas Mountains dominate the northeastern corner of this Chihuahuan Desert landscape, with peaks such as Black Top rising sharply above the alluvial plains. This mid-1960s survey captures a sparse ranching and transit corridor along the international border between the United States and Mexico. Human activity is centered on a handful of isolated outposts like Dogtown Ranch, Edwards Ranch, and Line Ranch, all dependent on scattered water sources such as Simpson Well and Hoppy Tank.

A decommissioned transportation artery, the Old Railroad Grade, cuts diagonally across the center of the sheet, passing near Malpais Hill and the settlement of Mimbres. This infrastructure remains a visible scar on the desert floor, tracing a path between dry watercourses like Simpson Draw and Hermanas Draw. The map meticulously details the section lines and township boundaries that define this frontier region of Luna County.