2017 Map of Mesa Palo Amarillo

About this map

Mesa Palo Amarillo dominates this High Plains landscape in Guadalupe County, where a complex network of seasonal water catchments supports the high-desert environment. This 2017 survey details a land defined by its arroyo systems and named canyons, including Cañon Blanco and Cañon de Rancho Alegre. The terrain is characterized by broad mesas like La Mesa Del Medio and scattered lowland features such as Red Lake and Laguna Quates. The density of named livestock tanks and traps, such as Bills Tank, Starve-Out Trap, and Secundino Tank, reflects a ranching economy where water management is the primary shaper of human activity. A grid of local roads and trails, including Palo Amarillo Rd, Tierra Blanca RD, and Penderson TRL, connects these remote water points across the plains, following the natural contours of the drainages and mesa edges.