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1963 Map of Mariano Lake

Name: 1963 Topographic Map of Mariano Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1967
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1967

About this map

Mariano Lake serves as a central landmark in this high-desert landscape of McKinley County, where the high plateau of northwestern New Mexico meets the southern reaches of the Cibola National Forest. The 1963 field survey documents a community defined by its water sources and mission outposts, including the Holiness Indian Mission and the Berean Mission near the eponymous lake. To the north, the Puerco River carves through the terrain, while landmarks like Standing Rock and Fallen Timber Ridge provide navigational anchors for local travelers.

Industrial activity is evidenced by the Black Jack No 2 Mine and its associated Mine Dump and Air Shaft, highlighting the region's extraction history. Away from the primary settlements, numerous remote water sources such as the Anderson Well and Dakai Well are linked by a network of unimproved roads and a Jeep Trail through Crazy Woman Canyon, reflecting the necessary infrastructure for ranching and survival in this arid environment.