2010 Map of Negro Canyon

About this map

Hovenweep Canyon and Negro Canyon dominate this high-desert landscape in Montezuma County, where deep drainage systems carve through the prominent mesas of the Four Corners region. This 2010 survey by the U. S. Geological Survey illustrates a terrain defined by steep-walled canyons and vast plateaus like Mockingbird Mesa and Cajon Mesa. The land use is primarily rural and topographical, with the few human imprints consisting of a sparse road network, including County Hwy-10 and County Road Y, which navigate around the natural obstacles of the McLean Basin. Collectors and historians can trace the intricate pathways of Yellow Jacket Canyon and Sandstone Canyon as they converge in this arid corner of Colorado, showing the relationship between historical transit routes and the unforgiving southwestern geology.