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1961 Map of Mesa Cortada

Name: 1961 Topographic Map of Mesa Cortada
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1975
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1975

About this map

Cibola National Forest encompasses the high country of this Northwestern New Mexico landscape, characterized by dramatic plateaus and deeply cut arroyos. The map reveals a land of intermittent water sources and traditional ranching, where remote sites like Rancho de la Punta and Michael Ranch suggest the historical human footprint in an arid environment. Navigating the terrain relies on named tanks and springs, such as Gonzolas Tank and Ojo Navajo, which provided essential water for livestock and travel.

The presence of the San Miguel Creek Dome and the prominent Cerro Chavez rise above the surrounding mesas, including Mesa Cortada and White Mesa. These geological features, alongside the drainage of Arroyo Chico and Chavez Arroyo, define the land's utility for the area's few inhabitants. Local transit is traced through unimproved dirt roads leading toward San Mateo, connecting the isolated homesteads like Jaramillo Ranch to the broader region.