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1965 Map of Moon Ranch

Name: 1965 Topographic Map of Moon Ranch
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1970
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1970

About this map

Leopold Vista (Historical Monument) overlooks the complex network of drainages and ranching improvements within the Gila National Forest during the mid-1960s. This high-altitude landscape is characterized by its reliance on water management, evidenced by the numerous water catchments like Ranch Tank, Dead Steer Tank, and Horseshoe Tank that dot the terrain from Black Mountain to Cactus Flat.

The presence of the Moon Ranch and a remote Landing Strip near the confluence of several canyons suggests a specialized livestock or forest management operation. Surveyors noted diverse topographic features such as Sheridan Gulch and High Lonesome Canyon, while US Highway 180 provides the primary transit link through this segment of Catron and Grant Counties. The map captures an era of post-war forest administration and cattle ranching before modern digital mapping, preserving the locations of specific named tanks and fence lines essential to local land use.