1972 Map of Minese Mesa

About this map

The Pablo Montoya Grant dominates this landscape of the New Mexico high plains, where the Canadian River and its backwaters at Conchas Lake define the western geography. This 1972 survey reveals a terrain shaped by large-scale ranching and water management in a semi-arid environment. The prominence of Minese Mesa and the nearby Minese Gap provide significant landmarks for navigating the draws and creeks that feed the Canadian basin. A network of private ranch roads connects essential water sources such as Lake Windmill, North Pasture Windmill, and Horseshoe Tank, which sustained livestock across the expansive grant lands. Geologic and topographic features like Perra Draw and Tulosa Creek illustrate the natural drainage patterns that have historically dictated human movement and settlement in San Miguel County.