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2023 Map of Moon Ranch

Name: 2023 Topographic Map of Moon Ranch
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2023
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2023

About this map

Gila Wilderness and the Gila National Forest dominate this high-desert landscape in southwestern New Mexico. The terrain is defined by a dense network of drainages including Big Dry Creek and Little Dry Creek, which cut through the complex topography of Black Mtn and Soldier Hill. This area is part of a ranching and water-management system where dozens of named tanks and springs, such as Bills Hole Tank and Big Dry Box Spring, provide critical resources across the arid expanse of Cactus Flat.

Human activity is centered on a series of historic routes and ranching infrastructure. Roads like Sheridan Corral Rd and Moon Ranch Rd navigate the boundaries between Catron and Grant counties. The map documents the persistent reliance on surface water catchments in this high-altitude environment, from Porcupine Tanks in the north to the Cactus Flat Tanks in the south, illustrating the specialized land use required to sustain life in the canyons and flats of the Gila region.